


Temporal Manipulations

by Rhino (RhinoMouse)



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex's army of ducklings, Also Lex and Linda Lee's relationship was freaky as fuck, But they don't die on page so not tagging major character death, Eve is a Crazy Lex Fangirl, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gen, I reference a lot of characters dying in the future that Kara's from, Lena Luthor Finds Out Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Linda Lee is Adorable, Linda is also an Alex mini me, Protective Kara Danvers, Ruby is a Mini Alex, Teamwork, The power of friendship, There is Less Angst in This Than Originally Planned, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-02-09 15:31:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 33,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18640942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhinoMouse/pseuds/Rhino
Summary: [Two Month Hiatus]Supergirl is the last one left standing in the end, but she considers this a failure in every way. So Kara uses her knowledge of temporal energy and abilities to go back to the fall of Reign. Now in the past she's going to drag everyone into a friendship team whether they want to or not. And Red Daughter is kind of Kara's Twin isn't she?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, this chapter is a bit rough but I'm excited about the rest of this fic. I'm just getting kinda tired of writing Lena finding out Kara is Supergirl scenes...I think I'm just saying no to writing this scene in any fic ever again. But I kinda really love writing Ruby and Linda Lee.
> 
> And yes guys I'm going to post the next installment of Once and Future Alien in mid June. I'm waiting for my beta to get out of school for the semester. And I have no idea on the 100 fics...I'm just so busy guys.

Lena looked up from her tumbler of whiskey. She scoffed. “Here to tell me that I’m evil again?” 

“No.” Supergirl looked...she looked empty. “We need to talk.” 

She raised a brow. “You’re not serious. I would sooner eat glass than deal with your self righteous arrogant ass right now.” She flicked her wrist. “Shouldn’t you be off with your mother or someone who you don’t think is evil?” 

“I don’t think you’re evil.” Supergirl stayed floating in front of her. “I never have, I know you’re a good person.”

Lean sneered as she took a swig of her whiskey, god the woman was intolerable. “Then I must have hallucinated the last week then?” 

“No.” Supergirl shook her head. “I never thought you were evil. It wasn’t even about you, not really.” The hero alighted on the balcony and somehow made it look bashful which was ridiculous considering had had more power in one pinkie than any army. “I was afraid and I lashed out because kryptonite terrifies me, losing terrifies me. Because if I lose hundreds if not every person on this planet will die. I can’t lose, I can never lose. The entire world is on my shoulders and anything that could weaken me makes that harder to protect. It was unfair to attack you how I did when I know you. You single handedly created enough anti-kryptonian weaponry and technology that a single security link and I won’t win. That terrified me and for lashing out because of that I am truly sorry for taking that fear out on you.”

“You…” Lena wasn’t even sure what to say or think about all of that. She rather felt as if she’d been slapped. “Thank you for apologizing. I don’t get many of those.” 

Supergirl shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’ve been selfish and afraid and kept things from you and then was upset that you did the same in return. It was unfair of me. It really was never about you being a Luthor. I asked James to check because I know you and I realized of course you would do that. Because science, progress, a desperate drive to do good that blinds you to the consequences to what you’re creating is something you would do. Because you are good, and because of that you don’t consider how people without your moral character would use what you invent. We’re alike in that way, we both act before we think about the consequences.” 

“Projecting much?” Lena pulled back, of course it was an apology before criticism. She should have known.

“Not this time.” Supergirl brushed her hair back. 

Lena raised a brow, one arm wrapping around her middle as she pulled back further from the hero. “This time?” She could feel her voice dripping with spite. The irredeemable ass thought an apology was just saying sorry and then criticizing, that it made it all better and put it in the past in just seconds? How dare she! “What makes you think you can just apologize and then what? Make it my fault? You don’t know me. How could you possibly know me?!” 

“Time travel, I used speed to harness temporal energy and moved myself back to three hours ago. For me today was a year ago.” The woman’s face was completely serious, but beneath that she seemed completely exhausted.

Lena paused before she jerked back. Now that she was looking at the woman the suit was dark with ground in soot, burn marks along one arm. There was a hole in the cape, a general air of exhaustion permeated the hero far deeper than the one than the one that had near her just hours earlier. It was impossible. Lena believed her. “We haven’t won yet then?” 

“We won this battle.” Supergirl walked over and dropped heavily onto the formerly pristine white couch. “And we won future battles. But in years time we lose to a different enemy.”

“Oh.” Lena felt like the air had been knocked out of her. She grabbed the entire whisky bottle and walked to the couch and collapsed on the opposite end. “Who do we lose to?” 

Supergirl ran a hand through her hair. “Hate, fear, dishonesty.” She let out a wry chuckle. “But the one to take advantage of that is Lex. He knows all the strings to pull and when he’s handed a weapon he knows how to play us all off of eachother.” 

“It would be my brother.” She downed her tumbler of whiskey before refilling it. “I’m assuming we never made up from this then?” 

Supergirl shook her head. “We did, but by then it was too late and I never told you my name and I should have. You needed all the information I could give you and I was too afraid to tell you till the end. I think you forgave me for it, but you were dying and just…” The woman wiped at her cheeks with jerky movements her voice cracking. 

“You mourn me.” Lena was fairly sure this was real. She looked dubiously at her tumbler of whiskey. “I wasn’t aware we were that close, and I find it hard to imagine we would be after this.” 

Supergirl let out choked sound of humor. “That’s just it, you’re my best friend.” She looked at her, really looked at her with those blue eyes. “My name is Kara Zor-el and here on earth I go by Kara Danvers and you are my best friend. I never told you because I was selfish, I wanted one friend who was just Kara’s. Who didn’t see ‘this’ first.” She pressed her hand to the crest on her chest. “And then I was scared because I couldn’t risk losing you.” 

Lena sucked in a sharp breath, her heart speeding up, eyes widening. Dear god she was an idiot. Of course Kara was Supergirl. Understanding fear in Supergirl was impossible, but Kara, Kara could fear. Lena knew how tightly Kara held onto anyone and anything she cared for. How she had held onto Mon-el well after she knew he was a terrible boyfriend. Hell she’d mourned the manchild.

It still dumbfounded Lena sometimes how much Kara cared for her, a Luthor. But she’d never doubted it, not since that first game night. Kara who kept photos, paintings, throws, pillows and even clothing well past its natural life span. Treasuring every little thing she touched as long as possible. It explained a lot actually. The reason Kara would cancel and duck out of plans even though she clearly had been having fun or looking forward to it. 

Of course Kara would never risk anything that endangered a friendship. She hadn’t been willing to even touch on the fact her boyfriend of a few weeks was abusive out of that same fear. But she was her best friend. “How dare you.”

Kara flinched shrinking in on herself like she wasn’t apparently a god among men. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m mad.” Lena swallowed squeezing her hands so tight the knuckles turned white. “And I expect I will be for some time…..but Kara Danvers is my best friend.” 

Kara looked up at her with wet eyes and then broke into a sob and lunged forward hugging her painfully tightly. 

The air was driven from her lungs. Lena stayed stiff as her best friend hugged her. It was wrong, so wrong to feel uncomfortable being hugged by Kara. But she was. It felt like there was a storm going on inside of her and she couldn’t lose control now. Not with Kara clearly hanging on by a thread. So Lena cleared her throat and waited for Kara to sheepishly pull back. Her mouth tightened. “I can’t...not...not right now.” She looked away sharply, seeking relief in her tumblr. “So what happens?”

“Insurance companies are going to continue to fail the people of National City when it comes to alien related damages. As companies invest in Nth metal and other alien materials as well as hire aliens, hatred for aliens is going to turn violent. Disenfranchised middle class citizens will become radicalized under a man who will call himself Agent Liberty. He will form a terrorist organization that will kill and frame aliens for crimes.” Kara rubbed at her cheeks. 

Lena swallowed, she could see how that could easily be taken advantage of by her brother. Her brother was attracted to hatred and chaos like a moth to flame. “My brother is behind it?” 

“Not entirely, he’ll use the Grave siblings to influence and accelerate its timeline. But he doesn’t create it.” Kara looked bitter, an expression on her face Lena was unfamiliar with. “Hate is growing in this country and I don’t know how to fix it.” 

She took a swig from her tumblr. “So what does Lex do to set the situation alight?” 

“The black kryptonite I used to stop Reign with, it split me in half as well. I didn’t know the first time till it was too late. She...my twin is me. She’s not evil or wrong but she’s lost and confused. I found her and took her to a safe place already.” Kara’s voice caught again with overwhelming sorrow. 

Lena blinked. “You love her?” 

“She died in my arms.” Kara’s knuckles turned white from how hard she was hanging onto herself. “She was innocent, her own person and Lex told her he was her Alex. He twisted and manipulated her, turned her into a monster who thought she was a hero.” 

Lena swallowed back bile setting her tumblr aside. She’d lost her desire to drink. “I split you?” 

“You didn’t know, no one knew until it was too late.” Kara’s voice was quiet. “But the harun-el is more dangerous than you know. It’s dangerous and is going to lead to so much death and destruction.” 

She shivered at the certainty in Kara’s voice. “It could help so many though.” 

“You’ll cure cancer with it, but the cost is so high.” Kara reached out and rested her hand on top of Lena’s. “I’m not telling you to get rid of it. I’m asking you to work with me on it so we can prevent millions of deaths.” 

“Alright.” Lena shifted, her arms wrapping around her middle. That was more than had died when Lex turned the sun red. It was nauseating. 

Kara pulled back. “If we’re to stop what’s coming we need to work together.” 

“Well, we can’t live in fear of what’s coming can we?” Lena hoped she sounded more together than she felt. She felt brittle and uncertain. “Kara I need…” 

“Time?” Kara looked at her with so much understanding. “You know how to reach me. Take whatever time you need. And I am sorry for dropping all of this on you at once.” 

Lena swallowed. “Where are you going?” 

“To see Sam before she decides to run.” Kara stood up slowly. “I’m going to the Fortress after that. I get reception up there, but my double will need me when she wakes up.” 

Lena paused. “Does she have a name?” 

“Not yet. She’ll be confused and will need me.” Kara’s smile looked pained. “Until you’re ready.” 

There was a blur of red and then Lena was alone. She sat there in her office that suddenly felt empty, her heart gaping with hurt and confusion. Lena reached over and picked her tumblr back up and filled it to the brim. She’d inherited her father’s flaws afterall. Knocking it back she let the burn wash away her feelings and drown out her thoughts. 

////

Lena’s first feeling as she woke up on her office couch was ‘fuck’. Groaning she reached blindly for her cell. Hitting the second speed dial she squinted at the clock. “Eve, I need ibuprofen, coffee, and the greasiest breakfast food you can find.” She let her head press into the white fabric below her. “And clear my schedule for the day.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Can I just mention I appreciate Rara going by Linda because that was the old comic secret identity for Kara. She was Linda Lee Danvers when pretending to be human and Kara Zor-El when being Supergirl. Anyways it speaks to my nostalgic heart that they've been paying homage to the old comics.

Kara wrapped the traditional kryptonian robe around her shoulders. It felt far more comfortable to her to be dressed as a kryptonian than a human. Maybe it was just a chance to feel like herself rather than the her of a year ago? Brushing it off she made her way towards the sleeping quarters in the Fortress. “Kalex, is she awake?” 

“Yes Lady Zor-El.” Kalex replied as it floated behind her. “The secondary units for my system will be complete in two hours.” 

Her brow crinkled slightly. “Have the new locking systems been brought online yet?” 

“The biometric lock, sixty seven numerical sequence code, voice recognition, retinal scan as well as genetic testing lock systems are all online. It will take a further six days to bring up the secondary security systems.” Kelex’s metal arms clacked as it stopped. “Shall I go continue the offensive AI bodies?” 

She didn’t really bother to glance at the AI. “Be sure to have biorhythm monitors set up. I want this fortress to know who is in this facility at all times.” 

“Yes Lady Zor-el.” Kalex beeped before leaving.

Kara braced herself before knocking on the door. The door slid open. She stepped in looking at her double sitting cross legged in the middle of the room, the glowing neral oscillator transmuter hovering above her head. 

She smiled softly. “Hello, how is your learning progressing?” 

“I’ve learned some of this language, it is very complicated in comparison to the English you insisted I learn as well.” Her double pulled off the transmuter. “You haven’t told me what my name is yet, and where is Alex? I need Alex.” 

Kara slipped closer and sat besides her double. “On krypton the one who names a child is pledged to protect and care for the child. It's a sacred bond before Rao.”

“Our god?” Her double cocked her head to the side. 

She looked at her softly. “Yes, our god. We are two versions of the same person and now two different people. In a way we are sisters, twins. If you would like I can give you a name. Or if you would like you could name yourself?” 

“What about Alex? Can Alex name me?” Her eyes practically sparkled as she leaned forward eagerly. 

Kara smiled. “I think that’s a great idea.” She pulled her phone out of her robes and hit the speaker button. “Don’t say anything yet, I still haven’t explained she has two sisters instead of one yet. Once you’re safe here I’ll bring Alex here so you can meet each other.” 

“I can do that.” Her double nodded enthusiastically looking at the phone as if it held all of her answers. 

She hit her speeddial while sharing an excited look with her...twin. 

-”Kara! Where have you been!?”- Alex’s voice snapped across the line, her irritation coating her words. 

Kara grinned. “I’m in the fortress working on increasing it's security and a project of mine. Which I’ll tell you all about later. But I need you to answer a question for me real fast, then sister night at the fortress tomorrow?” 

-”Fine, what do you need to ask?”- Alex was practically grumbling. 

She felt like snickering. “Hypothetically if my name wasn’t Kara and you had to name me what would you name me?” 

-”Super weird question but I guess Linda Lee, you look like a Linda and are perky enough for the Lee.”- There was the distinct sound of a gun going off in the distance.

Kara couldn’t tear her eyes away from where Linda Lee’s eyes were filling with pure joy and wonder as she mouthed her new name. She didn’t tear her eyes away from the newly dubbed Linda. “Thanks Alex, we’ll catch up at sister night, love you bye!” She hung up quickly before Alex could protest and get her to spill over the phone. That would be terrible. 

“My name is Linda Lee.” Linda beamed at her. “Can I meet Alex soon?” 

Kara took her twin’s hand. “Yes, sister night. And your name is Linda Lee Danvers here on earth, but you are a member of house El as much as I am.” 

“Do you think Alex will like me?” Linda looked up at her eyes shining ever so slightly. 

She slid closer wrapping an arm around Linda’s shoulders. “She’ll love you. She’ll be freaked out and be very high strung about it all for a while but she won’t be able to do anything but love you.” 

“I can’t wait to meet our Alex.” Linda’s eyes closed as she smiled contentedly. 

Kara hugged her twin against her. “So are you ready to try watching another Disney movie?” 

“Can we see Cinderella again? It's so beautiful.” Linda looked at her eagerly. 

Kara nodded. “Of course, and then we can introduce you to some I Love Lucy.” 

“I thought you said Lucy was a friend of ours?” Linda cocked her head to the side. 

Kara just smiled. “She is, but the Lucy in the show is a different one. There are lots of people with the same name. It was like that even on Krypton.”

////

Kara grabbed her sister off the DEO balcony and took off. 

“Shit!” Alex yelped while throwing her arms around Kara’s shoulders, hands digging into the cape. “Slow down!” 

Kara just sped up sure that Alex was safely hanging on. She knew if she gave Alex the chance she’d end up spilling everything. So she just flew as fast as she could without hurting Alex from the wind shear. Grabbing the edge of her cape she wrapped it around Alex before she hit the speed of sound. 

 

 

 

Kara landed on the footsteps of the fortress. She set Alex down and ensured her cape was wrapped around her sister. “One second, I’ll get us into the Fortress real fast.” She zipped to the door and started putting in the lock codes while the system scanned her. 

“What the hell Kara!” Alex wrapped her arms around herself, pulling the cape tight around her, breath coming out in white puffs as she shivered. “You can’t just fly me to the arctic without snow gear! Or a proper warning! What has gotten into you!? Also woah….” She trailed off. 

Kara winced as she glanced over her shoulder as the door opened. “I’ve upgraded the security, anyone who doesn’t know the codes or is one of the beings whose genetics the system is programed to recognize will be instantly vaporized.” She grabbed Alex’s arm and hauled her out of the cold. “Come on, the rest of the locks are inside the entryway.” 

“You...I can’t believe I’m saying this but did the Fortress actually need this much new security? It is in the arctic.” Alex rubbed at her arms in an effort to heat herself up. 

Kara felt bile at the back of her throat at the idea of who all had taken advantage of the lack of security in her past. “It did.” She picked up the new, far smaller, dwarf star key. Honestly the added weight hadn’t helped and it was still too heavy for an unaided human. Locking the key into place she used the upside down keyboard to play the first measure of her favorite kryptonian balad, each key made of dwarf star. The combination of weight and dexterity would hopefully be far harder to copy than sheer strength alone.

“Ok you’re starting to freak me out.” Alex approached hesitantly, eyes flicking around the new entrance chamber Kara had had built to guard the door. It was warmer in here so any human guests weren’t left on the doorstep so to say for too long.

She turned facing her sister, as the outer door slid shut. “There’s someone you need to meet.” 

“There’s someone in there?” Alex looked sharply towards the door eyes narrowing. 

Kara held up her hands. “Wait, they’re not dangerous they’re...well she’s my twin.” 

“You don’t have a twin.” Alex’s hand twitched towards her gun. 

She winced, Rao this was harder to explain than she’d expected. “The hauren-el didn’t just split Reign from Sam, it split Linda from me.” 

“Linda? You had me name your evil doppelganger?!” Alex had her gun out, eyes wide and horrified. 

Kara winced. “She’s not evil! She’s me but without my memories. Linda knows that she loves someone named Alex, she likes chocolate and has been marathoning I Love Lucy and then she started watching Brooklyn 99 last night. I don’t think she’s actually stopped since.” 

Alex held up a hand. “Stop.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “You’re saying the hauren-el split an amnesiac you who has been watching comedies?” 

“She’s not dangerous, but it’s like when I was first on earth. She doesn’t know how to control her powers, she doesn’t understand our culture. If someone took advantage of her she wouldn’t understand or be able to defend herself.” Kara carefully hit the last key of the code on the inner door. “Just be nice, please.” 

Alex spluttered. “What do you think is going to happen? Your doppelganger isn’t a puppy Kara!” 

“Linda is a good person Alex. She’s my twin in every way that way that matters. Which makes her your sister.” Kara winced and forced a smile and wiggled her hands in a weak attempt at jazz hands. “Congrats, it’s a sister!” 

Alex made an inarticulate sound of shock and confusion. 

Kara just nodded, yup Alex was on board. She pushed the door open and quickly stepped forward and hugged Linda who was anxiously vibrating on the other side. It was strange how much affection she felt for her twin. She’d only known her for a short time. “Hey Linda!” 

“Kara! You brought Alex?!” Linda’s eyes were riveted past Kara’s shoulder to where Alex was still gaping behind her. 

She stepped so that she was standing beside her twin. “Linda this is our sister Alex. Alex, this is our sister Linda Lee.” Kara smiled hopefully at Alex, she needed this to go well. Maybe she should have prept Alex more? No, then Alex would have just had time to make up her mind about Linda and that wouldn’t do at all. 

“Hi! I know I love you very much Alex!” LInda beamed. She pulled a packaged poptart from her robe. “Would you like a poptart? They are very good.” 

Alex looked like she’d been set in stone. But the longer she stood absolutely still the more her eyes softened around the edges at the eager look on Linda’s face. Finally her shoulders loosened and her arms fell to her sides. “Well, you’re already sharing food.” Both her brows rose as she looked at Linda. “Guess I have a new favorite sister.” 

Linda practically went boneless against Kara. “Really? You mean that?” 

“Wait, I know Kara’s had her vaccines because it took us a month to figure out how, but does this doppelganger thing mean you have had vaccines? Did the hauren-el have side effects that could hurt either of you?” Alex looked properly alarmed as she stepped forward grabbing each of them by an arm. “We’re going to my lab and making sure both of you are in perfect health!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The weather is lovely, it's my day off, it's a good day!

Alex watched Linda humming around a popsicle through the one way glass. She was grateful for J’onn’s presence even if he had left the DEO to her. “Can we trust her?” 

“You already do.” J’onn rumbled from where he was standing besides her, a solid presence. 

She winced as Linda dropped half the popsicle down her front. “What do we do if she’s a threat?” 

“She’s not a threat.” J’onn chuckled. “You don’t think she is either. She submitted to allowing me to attempt to read her while in the kryptonite room. While I cannot read the thoughts of a kryptonian I can get a general empathetic sense of them when they are without their powers. She is scared and lost.” 

Alex ran a hand through her hair. “How do we protect her? She’s as naive as Kara was when she first got on earth.” 

“And you protected Kara then and this time you have the entire DEO, you have Kara and myself. Linda will have a network of help. You’re not alone in caring for her.” J’onn let a sound of amusement. “I suppose I should have expected I’d gain another daughter before I had grandchildren.” 

Alex paused as she felt her cheeks heating up. “I don’t think Kara essentially undergoing mitosis was something we could work into our ten year plans.” 

“Considering the DEO it's not the oddest thing that we’ve seen.” J’onn looked amused as they watched Kara teaching Linda how to eat a popsicle properly while a doctor hooked up Linda to an EKG. 

She raised both brows in disbelief. “Even for us this is not normal. If it was a Kara from a different universe I wouldn’t be surprised. But my sister undergoing mitosis so that I suddenly have twin sisters was not something I had imagined.” 

“Well it could have been a situation more akin to RedK.” J’onn shrugged. “Have you had Brainy set up an identity for her yet?”

Alex winced. “Yes, I need to call Eliza and explain. She’s going to notice that a lot of social media images of the family suddenly have a second Kara in them.”

“How are you planning on explaining her absence from high school?” J’onn’s curious expression wasn’t all that serious. It felt like curiosity instead of orders for a solution which was just… strange. 

She rested her hands on her hips as she fought back a smile at the faces of both twins covered in blue popsical. “Kara was diagnosed as autistic when she first got here. We’ve forged the documentation that Linda had a more noticeable presentation of autistic behavior and was homeschooled instead. I’ve also gone ahead and put in the forms for a service dog for her. She’ll need a shield to protect her from how noticeable her nativity will be. Thanks to photoshop and Brainy she was adopted by the Danvers family at the same time as Kara. She’s been working as a written translator for Arabic, French and Russian.”

“Interesting work experience?” J’onn looked at her expectantly. 

Alex shrugged. “She’s stupidly smart like Kara. It will just take having her spend a couple weeks learning new languages or let her spend a couple weeks getting a technical math degree. Smart people who speak multiple languages are less noticeable however.” 

“Smart, found her an apartment yet?” He let out a snort as Linda’s eyes widened in amazement and awe as she tasted a choco for the first time. 

She rolled her eyes, once Linda discovered potstickers she’d never get to eat one again. “We’ve owned Kara’s apartment building through subsidiaries for years. It wasn’t hard to convince Vasquez to move to the same apartment building as Lena to keep an eye on her instead of Kara.” 

“Well I expect you three for family dinner tonight. I think it would be good for us to make it a twice weekly thing while we all adjust.” J’onn seemed to spark with inspiration. “I can introduce you to Muk’da!” 

Alex shuddered slightly, she still had nightmares and flashbacks to the last time J’onn tried to feed them traditional Martian food. She’d have to order chinese. She didn’t give him a repentant look as her fears were clearly read by him. “I’ve learned to be prepared when sampling anything not of this earth.” 

////

Alex halted in her tracks as she spotted Sam standing in the middle of the command center. “Sam, I wasn’t expecting you?”

“I needed to ask you a favor.” Sam bit at her lower lip, the twitchy look of her still so out of place on the formerly confident woman. The large leaded glasses perched on her nose were adorable, not that Alex would dare to say that out loud, or think about why that was. 

“Anything.” She offered without a second thought. 

Sam ran a hand through her hair. “Can we talk, privately?” 

“Of course, follow me.” Alex gave a sharp gesture before leading Sam towards her office. As Alex opened the door into her office she wrinkled her nose, she really needed to get one of the newbies to dust in here once in a while. She almost never used it. “Sorry, didn’t realize how long it’d been since I’ve been in here.” 

Sam gave a slight cough. “Yes I can see that Assistant Director.” 

Alex’s eyes snapped to the sign on the door and her desk. Well that was embarrassing. “I’ll have someone address that.” She cleared her throat as Sam shut the door. “So what is it that you need?” 

“Kara made a point about safety last week, unfortunately. I can’t just hide and hope everything goes back to normal, not really. I have these powers and that makes me a target for people like Lex. If I hide I’m just taking myself away from people who could help me. And if I have Lena use the harun-el to repress my kryptonian traits it won’t make others like Cadmus less interested in me but I will be helpless to stop them.” She shoved her hands deep into her pockets. “So I want in.” 

Alex leaned against her desk crossing her arms. “‘In’ as in join the DEO? Or ‘in’ as in put on a cape and be a superhero?” 

“I don’t know.” Sam let out a deeply frustrated sound in the back of her throat. “What am I supposed to do? I need to learn how to control these powers. How to protect Ruby, protect us both from people like Lillian. But I can’t not come home.” 

Alex crossed her arms considering what Sam was asking. “Supergirl can work with you on your powers.” She didn’t add in it would be a group class together with Linda. “You keep your job at L-corp, only put on a cape when and if you want to.” 

“Thank you.” Sam blew out a long breath, her whole body practically collapsing in relief. “Is there anyway I can pay for an agent to babysit Ruby for me? I don’t think I can leave her with just a regular teenager any longer.” 

Alex bit back her instinctive yes, she was already planning on putting them under protective surveillance no matter where Sam moved. “I’m sure if you were willing to help us train some of our newbies on combat with a being of superior speed and strength say once a week I could provide an agent everyday after school till you get home.” Her lips twitched. “Vasquez was requesting less field work after this last mission.” 

Sam looked genuinely more at ease, the twitching of her fingers fading away. “I can do that, thank you Alex. I know you’re going above and beyond for me.” 

“What are friends for?” Alex ignored the way her heart rate picked up. “If you want I can take you on down to Supergirl? Help you two work out a training schedule.” 

Sam smiled genuinely, the fear in her eyes still there, but she looked actually as close to ease as she could be. “That sounds good.” 

“Come on, we can go to an all you can eat buffet with Supergirl afterwards. Believe me you’re going to want to know where those are.” She smirked as she pushed off from the desk. Reaching out she clasped Sam’s shoulder. “You’re going to be alright.” 

Sam shuddered slightly. “Eventually.” 

“Come on, Supergirl is better at making people feel better than I am.” Alex opened the door and carefully gestured for Sam to follow her. 

Sam gave her an...interesting look. “You’re better at it than you’re giving yourself credit for.”

“Yes well.” She cleared her throat before locking eyes with a passing agent. “Jordan, go get one of the recruits to clean my office and update the signs.” 

The agent snapped to attention. “Yes Ma’am!” 

Alex checked that Sam wasn’t panicking again. “So Ruby’s hair?” 

“You’re her favorite adult ever.” Sam smiled softly. “She’s decided she wants a motorcycle when she turns sixteen and a Hell’s Belles poster appeared on her wall.” 

She grinned. “The girl’s ACDC tribute group? She’s got good taste.” 

“You mean you’re turning her into your mini-me?” Sam’s lips twitched ever so slightly. 

Alex scoffed. “Please, good music taste in a teenager is a miracle. You should be thanking me from sparing you from endless boybands.” 

“Like Lena and your sister?” Sam was definitely teasing her now. 

Alex faked a shiver. “I’m too gay for Justin Timberlake.” 

“No one is too gay for Justin Timberlake, his music is too catchy.” Sam smirked slightly as she passed Alex and walked into the infirmary only to skid to a sudden halt. 

Alex winced. She stepped around Sam only to let out an ‘omph’ as Linda collided with her.

“Alex!” Linda hugged her just too tight, definitely going to bruise. Pulling back she just beamed at her. “Kara was telling me about a food called pizza!” 

“She did now?” Alex swallowed back the pain of an excited kryptonian; and raised a brow at Kara, who looked completely unrepentant. 

Linda nodded excitedly. “She did!”

“Well I told Sam here about the all you can eat buffet downtown. So how would you feel about pizza tomorrow?” Alex couldn’t stop the fondness as she noticed that Linda’s hair was a messy braid she’d apparently been attempting.

Sam let out a choked sound. 

Kara’s eyes widened from where she was perched on the counter. She shot over, her cheeks bright red. “Hi Sam!” 

“Kara!?” Sam squeaked. 

Alex rolled her eyes. “Sam meet Kara Zor-El and Linda Lee Zor-El.” 

“What?” Sam was gaping, eyes flicking between Linda and Kara. 

She rested her hands on her hips. “Yes funny thing about getting rid of Reign, it apparently makes regular kryptonians go through mitosis.” Alex saw the blank look on Sam’s face. “It’s when a cell splits into two identical versions of itself-”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just to clarify there are not two Kara's running around. There's no future Kara and past Kara. It's just one. And well then Linda but she's her own person.

Lena was not happy. Her head was pounding from her latest hangover. The light burned, her mouth was dry, her head felt like someone was doing a tap dance inside her skull, and she still had double her usual work to make up for the time she’d taken off while helping Sam. All in all it was a crap day. That wasn’t even taking into account that she missed Kara viscerally. Down to her bones she ached for a hug from her best friend and for everything to be ok again. But she was still so...angry. Or maybe it was just pride at this point.

There was a thud on her balcony. Lena’s frown deepened as she turned slowly, stupid hangover, and sighed as she spotted Supergirl, Kara. She let out a low groan but waved the other woman in. “I thought I asked for time?” 

“You did, and I’m so sorry.” Kara cringed slightly as she slipped into the room, her nose wrinkling probably at the scent of alcohol. 

Lena would have rolled her eyes if she had the energy for it. “What is it then? Assassination attempt today?” 

“What? No! Um it’s kinda worse.” Kara’s hand moved as if to touch her but hesitated and then dropped back to her side. “Lex has mole in L-corp.” 

She just closed her eyes. “Of course he does. What else is new?”

“It’s Eve!” Kara blurted out, she definitely noticed how Lena flinched back like she’d been slapped. “She’s in love with Lex. her password is legitimately ‘ILOVELEX’. I didn’t even think of it till today.” 

Lena swallowed. “Well then.” 

“So she’s not going to be coming back from her morning coffee trip. I went to Alex and she found probable cause, the secret laboratory with L-corp prototypes was enough for the DEO. She’s getting black bagged and I don’t think anyone is going to hear from her again, not really.” Kara looked actually guilty over that. “I realized it was possible she has your office bugged and had to ensure she was well...not able to run when I told you.” 

Lena pinched the bridge of her nose. “Can you sweep my office for any bugs before I call security?” 

“Yes!” Kara’s brow pinched slightly as she turned in a circle slowly gazing at everything in the room. Her crinkle deepened. “I don’t see anything, but she knows I’m Supergirl so…” 

She wanted to cry, she did not have time for this. “Fine, I want a DEO vetted assistant in my office tomorrow at seven am. In the meantime I want every bug killing piece of tech you can get your hands on till I can upgrade my current models.” 

“I’ll talk to Alex.” Kara nodded eagerly. 

Lena stared at her friend, and Kara was her friend and let out a sigh. “You were Cat Grant’s assistant for two years.” 

“I was?” Kara’s head tilted slightly, eyes wide and curious. 

She was going to regret this. She was desperate for it. “Well then I’m sure Snapper can lend you to me for the day. Do you think you can manage?” 

“You want me to be your assistant?” Kara’s face started to light up. “I’ll go get into civilian clothing and then I’ll be right back with your coffee, breakfast and some advil. I promise I’ll be the best assistant you’ve ever had!” There was a blur of red and blue, a gust of wind and Kara was gone. Her smile had practically left after images. 

Lena slowly stood up. It was going to be… slow. She wasn’t ready to forgive yet, but just having Kara by her side would be a balm to her soul. Now she had to go and clear out everything Eve’s traitorous little fingers had touched. Dear god a Lex fangirl. She paused...if she had to witness Lex photoshopped porn images while she cleaned up Eve’s computer she was going to find the traitor and gouge her eyes out. 

////

“What the fuck?!” Lena gaped. “What the actual fuck!? You used superpowers for this right?” 

Kara’s cheeks were pink as she ducked her head. “I just uploaded my system from when I was under Cat, which automatically filled in your Catco obligations. Once I entered your L-corp information in it helped organize your schedule. I only used superpowers to keep your coffee at optimal hotness.” 

“But...how?!” It wasn’t possible. Her schedule for the next month was color coded by priority, free sections highlighted and secondary schedule options for any changes needed. The paperwork for her office had been halved. Her long day was going to be just a regular shift. 

Kara was practically floating...was actually floating at being able to help. “Ms Grant was very exact about her schedule, especially since she had to have her schedule matched with Carter’s.” 

“Is that coffee?” Lena looked at the offering Kara had brought in for her. 

Kara shook her head. “No, it’s an irish tea, double steeped just how you prefer. I know you’ve already had four coffees, I brought them to you after all. That much concentrated caffeine isn’t good for you so I went ahead and switched to help your stomach. You should be able to actually eat lunch now.” 

“Thank you.” Lena felt a frog in her throat. She forced it down, little boxes, she was still mad at Kara...probably. 

Kara’s excitement seemed to dim slightly, but her smile remained. “Game night is on thursday this week, you could come?” There was real hope there. 

Lena braced herself. “That...I’ll be there.” 

////

Lena nearly gagged as she found Eve’s folder of manipulated Lex photos. It was on Eve’s private server and in the baking folder. Somehow more than the obvious signs of betrayal she’d been finding it was these photographs that were the worst. It was worse than naked pics, it was images of Lex glowing...with flowers around him. There was a particularly horrifying one of Lex on a white horse with a cape. She hit her comm. “Kara, girls night and wine, so much wine.” 

-”I’ll pencil that in Lena.”- There was an audible smile in Kara’s voice. -”Should I invite Sam, Alex uh Linda as well?”-

“Do it.” Lena paused. “Who’s Linda?” Christ was that a picture of Lex photoshopped into a boyband. This was worse than when she found nude photos of him and his college girlfriend.

Kara didn’t reply for a second. -”Linda is my twin.”-

“Twin?! What are you…..oh.” Of course Kara would consider a doppelganger her twin and not an abomination. Lena felt a pang of guilt. How could she face an entire sentient being she’d accidently created? 

Kara cleared her throat. -”It’ll be her first girls night she’ll love it. I promise she’s safe.”-

“I know.” Lena swallowed. “Any version of you would be safe.” 

-”Not actually true. There was a version of me on earth X that was a Nazi general who wanted to kill me and steal my heart because in efforts to increase her power she’d poisoned her own heart. She was awful and killed so many people. Like she was really evil.”- Kara’s voice wavered slightly. 

Lena paused as she digested several parts of that before deciding she’d ask at girl’s night. It was just not the time, there was a meeting with lawyers in twenty minutes. “Right, make sure there’s a lot of wine. Maybe some vodka.” 

-”You said vodka is the devil’s drink and that just thinking about it made you feel nauseous ever since you drank a whole bottle in college.”- The judgy compassion was practically palatable. 

Lena stared at her screen and let her soul shrivel and die. “Eve photoshopped pictures of her and Lex on a gondola ride in Venice.” 

-”Oh ew! Right vodka it is.”- Kara made a gagging noise. -”I mean I lived through her homicidal crazy faze and it’s still so surreal she was that good at faking it.”-

Lena paused as something horrible occurred to her. “Kara, please tell me my brother did not sleep with a crazy fangirl. I need to believe he has standards even if he’s insane.” 

-”No, but Eve of the future was pretty sure Lex was sleeping with my doppelganger.”- Kara sounded completely repulsed. 

It took her a second to process the levels of horror that had to be. Lena didn’t know what do with the sheer molton hatred burning through her. So she did what she did best. “Make sure there is alcohol strong enough for you there tonight.”

////

Lena smiled genuinely and without doubt for the first time in days. “Ruby!” She hugged the teenager to her tightly. Closing her eyes she felt the weight life from her shoulders if only briefly. 

“Aunt Lena!” Ruby clung onto her tighter than she had before the incidents with Reign, but then Lena needed to be sure of Ruby’s safety as well. 

“How was your first day back at school?” She ran her fingers through Ruby’s hair. 

Ruby didn’t release her as she started talking. “It was ok, a lot of other kids were kept home during everything so it didn’t stand out much I was out.” She shrugged. “But Supergirl gave me one of her suits sized down for me too! It’s bulletproof and everything so I’d be safe all day!” 

Lena looked down and sure enough just below the neckline of Ruby’s t-shirt she could see the blue spandex of a super suit. “That was very kind of her.” She could feel herself softening further towards Kara, it was such a Kara thing to do. 

“It means I was safe. And mom’s wearing one two!” Ruby’s eyes flicked to where Sam was standing in the doorway. Both mother and daughter didn’t separate often in the week and a half since Reign. 

Sam spoke slowly as she walked into the office. “Yes, unfortunately the skirt doesn’t fit under business slacks.” Her lips turned up. “But I spent the day working on controlling these powers.” She pushed up at the black glasses on her face. Who knew just listening to music was something that required practice?”

“You’re going to do awesome mom! I knew you were a hero!” Ruby looked at her mom with such belief, or maybe it was a desire for something to replace the monster that once resided there.

Lena saw the stress around Sam’s eyes and had a feeling why. “So are you coming to girl’s night too Ruby?” The little Arias family had been attached at the hip after all. “We could have it at your house so you can go to bed once we bring out the drinks?” 

Ruby perked up, Sam loosening further. “That sounds awesome Aunt Lena!” 

“Good, I’ll let Kara know before I get off.” Lena bit her lip. “Did your mom explain that you’re going to be meeting Kara’s twin tonight?” 

Ruby nodded. “Yeah Linda, she and Kara are really identical. I wish I had an identical twin.”

“Yes I was surprised it hadn’t been mentioned before.” Sam cleared her throat awkwardly.

Ruby smirked as she looked between Lena and her mom. “I know Kara’s Supergirl, duh. Linda is totally an alien duplicate or something like that right?” 

“Why do I even try?” Sam sighed.

Lena just muffled a laugh as she hugged Ruby again. “You’re a very smart girl Ruby.”


	5. Chapter 5

Linda had seen seventeen girls nights during her research on Netflix. It appeared to be a wide spread earth custom and one that looked amazing. She couldn’t wait to try wine and the elegant finger food she’d seen. Getting to make friends for life was something she was anxious to accomplish. It seemed to be a necessity part of being human. Also her relationship with Alex was… tenuous. Of course a human as important as Alex was kind to her, but there was something forced about their interactions that Linda did not like. 

Humming she carefully kept from walking straight through Kara’s floor. That would be poor repayment for her kindness. “Should we leave soon? Or do we wait and fly?” 

“We can make it a test flight in the wild.” Kara replied over her shoulder. “Also I could use the extra hands for carrying all the pizza.” 

 

 

Linda was practically vibrating with excitement as she stood behind Kara, sixteen pizzas stacked up in her arms. She peeked over her lead glasses so she could see the door opened up by Ruby, the human adolescent.

“Holy cow!” Ruby’s eyes practically had sparkles in them. 

Kara laughed as she walked into the house. “One of these has your name on it Little One.” 

“I get a whole pizza?!” Ruby bounced as she moved out of the way so that they could enter. 

Linda relaxed slightly as she entered into the house. “I have been informed human adolescents consume a great deal of food. Are you an exception to that?” 

“You take that back, Ruby is an adorable baby and will never be a teenager.” Sam called from further into the house.

Linda’s brow crinkled. “But I thought adolescents was a natural and inevitable part of human development. Is Ruby an exception to this because she’s a kryptonian human hybrid?” 

“It’s a human expression.” Kara said as Sam and Lena spluttered from what appeared to be the kitchen as she and Linda set down the pizza boxes. “Sam is saying she does not want Ruby to grow up because she will miss Ruby when she’s an adult and leaves home.” There was a slight pause. “Also human teenagers have overly active hormone systems leading them to be more emotional than most other age groups. It can be very difficult for those around the teen, though I don’t think that will be a problem with Ruby.” 

Lena cleared her throat. “You must be Linda.” 

“Oh…” Linda stared at the woman before her. Lena was leaning against the counter, wine glass clutched in one hand, but everything about her was put together and neat. Power and intelligence practically radiated from her. “I mean hi! Yes I am Linda Lee Danvers. I have heard a great deal about you.” 

Sam snorted into her own glass of wine. “So are we expecting anyone else, maybe a football team?” 

“We have three kryptonians, a federal agent who was apprehending aliens all day and a teenager.” Kara pulled a bottle of glowing golden liquid and set it on the counter. “We might need more.” 

Lena raised a brow. “Do I the meer human not count?” 

“Of course you count.” Kara picked up the top box. “You and Alex get the half veggie, half cowboy one.” 

Linda and Ruby both perked up. Linda snapping her head round towards Kara. “When will Alex arrive?” 

“She said she’d be here, she’s probably running a few minutes late.” Sam poured three glasses of the golden liquid. “God it's only been days but I’ve missed being able to take the edge off.” 

Kara tilted her head to the side. “Alex will get here in three minutes.” 

“Wait, how do you know that?” Ruby paused where she’d been attempting to sneak a box of pizza off the stack Linda had just set down. “Is that a superpower? Can you just know where people are? Or see shortly into the future?!” 

Linda looked over Kara curiously. “I was not aware that was one of our powers?” 

“It’s not.” Kara smiled. “I can hear her heart rate anywhere in the city. I also can hear the speed at which she’s approaching and knowing her usual route from there to here, plus locations and speed of vehicles she will interact with and I can calculate her expected arrival time.” 

Linda nodded in understanding, she had only reached calculous earlier in the day. But she could see how such a calculation would possible. Of course Kara had to be leaving various variables out, but conversations were not appropriate places for math theory from what she understood.

“How long did it take you to make that calculation?” Lena’s voice was soft, her eyes sharp as she looked at Kara.

Kara pushed her glasses up her nose. “Half a second.”

Linda looked between the others in the room. “I don’t understand, why do you all appeared shocked?” 

////

Linda floated up to the roof of Catco. She hesitated before landing gently besides her twin, perched on the edge of the helicopter pad. “You are sad?” 

“I..yes.” Kara huffed brushing her long hair back. “How did you know?” 

She stared at the lines of the face that she saw in the mirror yet so different to her own. “You are very happy when people are looking, when you think I am watching. But when I’m not you are sad and according to tv this is not good.” 

“No, I suppose it isn’t.” Kara kicked her legs out, her seemingly wrapped around her by the wind. 

Linda elbowed her twin lightly. “May I know why you are sad?” 

“I saw everything I love burn for a second time. It was...indescribable. All with Lex cackling so sure of his victory.” Her ensuing swallow sounded dry and forced. “I cannot lose again, never again. I won’t survive it. Life isn’t worth it without the people here in National City, at least to me.” 

She could feel her eyes widening. “The entire City is destroyed? But that’s so many people!” 

“And the president still dropped a Nuke on the city in an attempt to kill me. I survived, Lena survived thanks to her building security. The radiation still got in. The L-corp employees including Lena were just dying slower deaths than the rest of the city. Alex, Nia, Brainy…. J’onn survived but Martians are weak to fire. He didn’t survive the military assault meant to kill me should I remain alive. Lex didn’t even have to pull the trigger, he just set the stage.” 

Linda shivered despite not feeling the cold. “Where was I?”

“You realized Lex was evil when the nuke hit. When I arrived you were trying to take him in, but he had kryptonite and his Lex suit. We fought side by side. Metallo was left a heap burned out in the middle of Russia. You killed Lex in the end, but he killed you in return. I held you in my arms as you bled out and there was nothing I could do to save you. I couldn’t...I couldn’t stay in that world after that.” Kara’s voice was hoarse, her eyes glazed over as she seemed to be looking at nothing and the entire city all at once. 

She slowly, hesitantly raised her arm so much care. Watching for the slightest sign it would make her twin uncomfortable she wrapped her arm around Kara. Using enough force that Kara would be able to feel it, really feel it, she held on. “Train me.” 

“I am training you?” Kara’s brow scrunched up in confusion at the sudden change in topic. 

Linda tightened her arm, trying to help ground her twin. “Not to just be able to function on this planet, teach me how to be a hero like you. I want to help people, help you. We can protect this city together.” 

“You don’t have to.” Kara’s spine straightened. “I wouldn’t wish this burden on anyone. Especially you, you could have a normal life. No one would know to look for you.” 

Linda shook her head. “I’m sure, we’re the same person remember? I need to help just how you need to.” 

Kara slumped, leaning into her. “I’m sorry I failed you last time.” 

“I don’t blame you. I know its not exactly mine to give but I forgive you.” Linda leaned her head against the top of Kara’s. 

Kara sniffled. “You know you don’t have to.” 

“We’re sisters. From what I understand of earth media, family forgives.” Linda grinned. “We’re like the Weasley twins only we’re all about being heros instead of pranks.” 

There was a wet huff of laughter from Kara. “Which book are you on?” 

“Order of the Phoenix. I’m almost done. I love it, though not as much as I enjoyed Jane Austen's books.” Linda sighed. “Do you think I could just translate books for a job? Reading is so much fun.” 

Kara nodded against her shoulder. “If you want, maybe you could take night classes, get your Master’s in Library Science and work as a librarian.” 

“That would be nice, the quiet inside libraries is nice.” She considered that, she could see herself in the quiet buildings, her dog by her feet, thousands of books at her fingertips..however with how fast she read… “Maybe I could translate alien stories into English for humans?” 

Kara sat straight up twisting so she was staring at her. “That’s a brilliant idea! It would help accustom people to aliens! It would increase understanding and hopefully decrease fear.”

“I hadn’t thought of that, but it could be how I help while not being super with you; like how you use your job as a reporter.” Linda beamed, she hadn’t even thought of the consequences but it sounded like she could really help in multiple ways. 

Kara stared at her with a curious expression. “I am glad that you are my twin. I know it’s rather narcissistic of me but you’re a good person Linda Lee.” 

“I don’t think it’s narcissistic. I mean you have memories I don't and memories seem to be what makes a person unique, at least according to the three amnesia films I’ve seen.” Linda could feel her cheeks heat at the compliment. It was...it was good to be wanted. But she could see how much weight and pain Kara carried and the fact she didn’t had to mean they were quite different. 

Kara stretched before rubbing at her cheeks. “Come on, let’s go finish getting your apartment ready for Krypto.” 

“I can’t wait, dogs are the best.” Linda bit back her instinctive squeal at the thought of the dog she was getting in the morning.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So apparently I got noticed in an odd way at work. We had a very famous person in at the hotel the other day, and by famous I mean if you live in America you've heard this person's name. Super A list, we all got super briefed that morning on protocol with this guest. Three supervisors checked the room ahead of time, one of our upper people dropped by like super fancy champaign and stuff in the room. Anyways I was happily checking people in when I spotted the cutest dog with a guest. I promptly let out a sound best described as a squeal and had to ask if I could pet the dog. Apparently our A lister was in line right in front of the lady with the dog and thought they were about to get fan attacked or something. They were apparently rather baffled when I asked the lady at the station next to me to take the next person in line so I could pet the dog/check in dog lady. Fortunately they thought it was hysterical that the front desk girl completely failed to recognize them and was excited about a dog.

Alex watched as Linda walked between racks of clothing. “You don’t like any of the sweaters do you? We could look for maybe some more pastels?” Was it even possible to find more pastels then were in Kara’s favorite clothing store? She was horrified at the possibility that she might be about to find out.

“Do you think I could get a leather jacket like yours?” Linda’s big blue eyes looked at her with so much hope. 

Alex blinked. “You want a leather jacket?” 

“Yes.” Linda nodded. “And maybe flannel too?” 

Alex crossed her arms raising her brows, a slight smile pulling at her mouth. “Anything else?”

“Do you think I could get my haircut?” Linda just looked so damn hopeful. 

It was odd, the differences between Kara and Linda. Alex had expected well a Kara clone but it wasn’t that simple. Not really. “Are you sure you don’t want any sweaters? Nothing with floral print? Pastels?” 

“I don’t think they’re me.” Linda’ shuffled slightly, staring at her feet. 

Alex’s shoulders softened. “Well, I suppose we’ll figure something out for cutting your hair. What are you thinking for that?”

“Maybe something a little longer than yours?” Linda rolled a lock of her hair between her fingers, a small smile lighting up her face. 

She shifted, shoving her hands into the back pockets of her pants. “Well I guess we’re in the wrong store then.” Alex didn’t mention the soft flutter of warmth at Linda choosing clothing like her’s instead of Kara. It was like someone picking her over Kara which was shallow but it still felt important.

 

 

Alex leaned against the wall checking her phone while Linda tried on jeans. She pulled up a number she was dreading calling. God this was the only way she was going to not drink herself crazy over this. She hit call and raised the phone to her ear. Linda would be a while, she had a truly terrifying stack of pants and jackets. 

-”Alex honey, it’s so good of you to call!”- Eliza’s voice was warm and happy as she picked up the phone.

She cleared her throat. “Hey mom, I need to talk to you about something.” 

-”What is it honey?”- Eliza asked, it was still odd to have positive interactions with her mother.

Alex glanced at the stall Linda was in. “There were consequences to saving the world this time, ones that affect our family.” 

-”Is Kara alright? Are you? Do I need to be there?”- Eliza sounded frantic. 

She blew out a breath. “We’re fine. What we used to defeat Reign caused Kara to go through mitosis.” 

-”Your sister isn’t a bacteria Alex.”- Eliza hissed. 

Her teeth ground slightly. “I’m aware of that mother, but nothing about our lives are typical. So Kara’s a twin now. Linda is her own person and she’s kind and sweet.” 

-”Wait, you haven’t combined both parts back together? Alex! Kara needs to be whole.”- Eliza’s judgement was back apparently. 

Alex could feel her fist tightening at her side. “Linda is her own person, she’s not just a piece of Kara. Kara’s whole and fine. It didn’t split her into two lesser parts.” 

-”You can’t know that!”- Eliza protested.

She grit her teeth. “J’onn is bringing you the cover story for Linda tonight. I have to go.” Alex hung up without waiting for the reply. She looked up meeting Linda’s eyes. “You heard all that?” 

“Thank you for…” Linda swallowed looking down. “You didn’t have to do that.” 

Alex stared at the woman wearing tight jeans, flannel and a far too large leather jacket and reached out hauling the other woman into her arms. “Yes I did.” 

“Oh.” Linda clung back, burying her face into Alex’s shoulder. 

She didn’t mention that it was hurting her old bruises to be held so tight. The realness of the pain, the way it made Linda physically real and present felt right. Alex just held onto her sister and didn’t say anything about pain. Because she needed this. She needed it as much as it seemed Linda did. And she got it now, got how Kara could look at Linda and see an entirely separate person. A person who needed protection, affection, to belong. “Family stands together. Always.” 

////

Alex had to fight not to smirk as she spotted Linda’s new bob. It was cute, definitely more girly than her own hair but still different. She enjoyed the look Linda had gone for. In the end she had gone with softer colors for her shirts, but the jeans and jackets seemed to be there to stay. At least for a while. 

“So if I wear a wig I can have different hair when I’m wearing a suit and when I’m just doing things like getting ice cream?” Linda asked as they stood out in front of the wig store Alex had brought them to. 

Alex beamed, finally a sister who listened to common sense. “What color would you like? Or length?” 

“Brown I think.” Linda nodded shortly. “Afterall you’re red and Kara is blonde and I don’t think I’d look good with black hair.” 

Alex wrinkled her nose. “You know now that you mention it I’m really glad Kara never went through a goth faze.” 

“Goths are people who wear black and are very sad yes?” Linda looked away from the wigs in the window towards her. 

She couldn’t help it, she snorted. “Remind me to sit you down and describe you the difference between emo and goth. Also to introduce you to some good music.” 

“Of course!” Linda practically glowed at the prospect of more time together. “So, long hair for my wig?” 

Alex cocked her head to one side. “You would look good in either, but if you have long hair you can braid it and I know you were bonding with Kara over braiding hair together.” 

“You’re right, long is fun.” Linda perked up and hopped into the store, skip in her step. 

Shaking her head Alex followed her newest sister inside. It was certainly turning into an interesting day. As she watched Linda talking the poor shopkeepers ear off, she pulled her cell out. Scrolling past the barrage of texts from Eliza she pulled up the last one from Kara.

-Picked up Krypto, he and I are in the park getting ice cream. Whenever you two are ready we’re waiting.-

Alex quickly sent a -last stop.- Before walking over to Linda and laying a hand on her shoulder. “How about you let the nice storekeeper answer your questions before you ask more?” 

 

 

 

Alex would never admit to the sappy feeling she got, or the cooing sound she made watching Linda meet Krypto for the first time. It was damn adorable however. She stayed leaning against a tree watching the two introduce themselves. “So any Super activity today?” 

“Just a couple fender benders.” Kara replied from where she was leaning against the same tree, watching Linda carefully petting Krypto’s white fur. “Interesting look.” 

She refused to be embarrassed. “She picked everything out herself.” 

“I did model my early fashion off Eliza.” Kara nodded solemnly, then she winced. “Which I got a phone call just before I picked up Krypto. I was going to call her tonight, you didn’t have to take that on.” 

Alex shifted uncomfortably. “It would have fallen on me either way.” 

“Doesn’t make it fair.” Kara sighed. “You don’t have to deal with her alone you know, everything was getting so much better between you two.” 

She shoved her hands into her pockets. “And they are, she just worries about you.” 

“She should worry about you more.” Kara grumbled.

Alex elbowed her sister. “So, what has been eating at you since Reign, I thought it was Linda but it’s not just that.” 

“I’ll tell you later.” Kara shifted facing her fully. “Tonight, but for now do you think you could start hiring more aliens at the DEO?” 

Alex blinked, that was not where she expected this conversation to go. “Why?” 

“Well don’t you think it would help your agents learn to work with aliens to not view all aliens as just a threat if they worked with and were friends with aliens? Not to mention I know you’d love to have alien abilities to help keep your teams alive.” Kara grinned that stupid victory grin of her’s. 

Alex reached out and shoved Kara’s face away from her while she considered her sister’s point. It would help, and there was a new round of recruits coming. “I’ll look into it.” She held up her hands in surrender. “I’m not promising anything!” 

“You’re the best!” Kara ignored the the raised hands and glomped onto Alex sending them both toppling to the ground. 

She let out a groan. Christ she needed body armor just fulltime with two of them didn’t she? Alex felt a horrible slobbery lick up the side of her face. A strangled protest was her only response to her outrage as she tried to wiggle free of Kara only to find Linda had joined the hug at some point and Krypto was using the moment to lick faces. She took it all back, she hated all of them.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam picked up the lead earrings and necklace Kara had given her the night before. Setting the bulky lead glasses aside she carefully put on the earrings and necklace. They were a beautiful set; if you didn’t know they were made of lead you wouldn’t be able to tell. But they helped muffle the constant din of noise. 

“MOM! I’m going to be LATE!” Ruby hollered from downstairs.

She cringed at the sound. God even dampened the increased senses were nearly debilitating. Breathing out she centered herself. Calmer she made her way down the stairs. “We don’t yell in this house Ruby, you know that.” 

“Sorry mom.” Recognition flickered across Ruby’s face. 

Wrapping an arm around Ruby’s shoulders, she slung her purse over her other shoulder. “I know honey, it’s an adjustment for both of us.” 

“Come on, let’s get you to school.” Sam smiled as she spotted the distinctive supersuit thumb hooks and wrists showing from under Ruby’s shirt. “Still wearing the super suit?” 

Ruby nodded, molding herself further into Sam’s side. “Are you?” 

“I am, though a different sleeve length prototype.” Sam didn’t question Ruby’s need for both of them both to be wearing the tailored suits under their clothing at all times. If it was what Ruby needed to feel safer, than it was what Ruby needed. 

As they walked out the front door both of them stopped, at the curb was a bright blue volkswagen bug. Kara Danvers was leaning against the car door, bright smile on her face. “Hi! I thought I could give you two a ride.” 

“Kara?” Sam asked curiously as she and Ruby approached her friend. Well she approached, Ruby launched forward to hug her hero as tightly as possible. 

“Driving with your new reaction time is going to be hard, also if anyone decides to honk their horns it’ll still make you lose control for a while. I already got the go ahead on my newest article and have the time.” She rubbed a circle against Ruby’s back. “So, think you can climb into the back?” 

Ruby snorted. “This car is the coolest!” She promptly started to clamber in over the top of the front seats. 

“Try not to hit your head!” Sam chided as she walked the last few steps towards Kara. “Thank you for doing this. After what I did…” 

Kara waved her off. “Reign wasn’t you. Now come on, I have high protein energy bars in the glove compartment. 

Sam could feel herself relaxing as she walked around the car and then slid into the passenger seat. “So where’s Linda?” 

“She’s learning French this week.” Kara replied seemingly oblivious to the hero worship in Ruby’s face and shock on her own. 

She shared an exasperated look with Ruby. “Yes a whole week to learn French. That must be so difficult.” 

Kara’s cheeks pinked as she pulled out into the road. “I’m unsure if you will notice any differences, but kryptonians were designed for optimum genetics and then genetically engineered for their future role in society. I was designed for the science guild so technically Linda is as well.” 

“You guys could genetically build people?” Ruby exclaimed from the backseat. 

Sam glanced in the rear view mirror. “Seatbelt on.” 

“We didn’t have children naturally like humans do. The genetics of the two parents would be carefully combined so that only the best genes were passed on. Then the child iwas grown inside birthing chambers that are...I supposed they were similar to technologically controlled eggs.” Kara explained, her face impossibly fond and a million miles away. 

Sam wondered how she should feel about this knowledge. Hearing about Krypton was confusing, she resented it. The knowledge that she had been nothing but a twisted science and magic experiment to Krypton left a sour taste in her mouth. 

Ruby made a curious noise. “You didn’t have kids the normal way ever?” 

“Kal, Superman was the first one in a millennia to be born naturally.” Kara winked at Ruby. “I was just a girl but I remember it was a massive scandal.” 

Sam looked at the ease in Kara as they drove. “It sounds very different.” 

“It was.” Kara cut a tight corner. “But not better.” 

She considered her friend… “Would they consider me a part of them?”

“No, they would not.” Kara’s jaw tightened. “But Krypton is gone, and you were designed with the help of my father, which makes you as much a member of the house of El as anyone. As the head of house El I have claimed you as a member of my house and should you meet any other kryptonians they will acknowledge you.” Her voice softened as she glanced in the mirror back at Ruby. “And that makes you a member of the house as well and my niece in truth.” 

Ruby made a soft sound. “Really?”

“Yes really. You have every right to wear the crest of El. Admittedly you, your mom, Superman, Linda and I are all that is left of that house by blood. But that means if you’re interested in any of the teachings or knowledge of our house just ask Little One.” 

Ruby’s nose wrinkled up. “Why do you keep calling me Little One?” 

“It’s a term of endearment for children who are close family.” Kara’s voice was painfully full of emotion as she spoke. “It denotes you are a young member of my house and under my protection.” 

Sam stared at Kara in a kind of awe. She hadn’t realized how much she needed family until that moment. Well, apparently having kryptonian family wasn’t going to be too terrible. “Thank you.” 

////

Sam raised both brows as she spotted Alex Danvers sitting in her office. “I would ask what the director of a covert government agency was doing in my office but considering the last few weeks I’m not even surprised anymore.” She hung up her coat and set her purse down. 

“I had an...unbelievable conversation with my sister last night and needed to be around someone who’s life isn’t completely insane.” Alex cradled her head in her hands. “Just one day… is that too much to ask?” 

Sam couldn’t help it she laughed. It burst out of her wild and uncontrolled. Bending in half she held onto the wall as she howled with it. Some part of her noticed the alarmed look on Alex’s face, and somehow that just made her laugh harder. Tears built and then streamed down her face as she laughed unrestrainedly, great bellows of it shaking her body. 

Alex had apparently gotten up and approached her cautiously. Her hand held out half way as if she was a stray beast. “Are you...ok?” 

She couldn’t answer, her laughter choking her as it continued. Sam felt her knees giving way, and then she was crashing into the ground, The floor beneath her knees bent, denting downwards with her momentum. And somehow that was hysterically funny for some reason. It just was for no reason she could hope to articulate even if she hadn’t of been choking on her laughter that was seemingly without humor. 

And then Alex’s hand was on her shoulder and Sam realized she wasn’t laughing anymore, she was sobbing uncontrollably. A dam had broken inside of her and she could no more control the outpouring of terror, fear, hopelessness and a thousand other broken thing than she could make the sun not rise. 

 

 

 

Sam sniffled as she wiped at her nose with a tissue. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Alex shrugged, discomfort practically wafting off her. Though she just kept holding the tissue box towards her. 

Her pride was non-existent at this point anyway. She took another tissue. “I’m still sorry you had to see that.” 

“You’ve been through alot.” Alex shifted slightly. “I wish I could say it gets easier, and it does in some ways, but it never is easy.” 

Sam chuckled wetly. “Well at least you’re honest Agent.” 

“Only to friends and family.” Alex’s lips twitched. 

She leaned against the wall. “I’m honoured. And still incredibly sorry. I’m usually much more put together than this.” 

“We all have bad weeks, or months.” Alex ran a hand through her short hair. “It’s what makes us human.” 

Sam snorted out right before blowing her nose. “I’m not exactly human am I? I’m just a sick experimental weapon.” 

Alex reached out laying a hand on her knee. “You’re Sam Aries, single mother and accomplished business woman. And you’re a unique member of one of the greatest societies in the universe. You are so much more than what you were created for.” 

She couldn’t help it, she sniffled. “If you keep this up I’ll start crying again.” 

“Ah.” Alex retracted her hand. “So I’m guessing Kara ambushed you this morning?” Alex seemed to take Sam’s silence as answer enough. “She’s unbelievably happy not to be one of the last two kryptonians left and now being one of four on this planet. But she knows the flaws of her people better than most give her credit for.” 

Sam grabbed yet another tissue and wiped at her eyes. “She seemed pretty certain it was all rainbows and unicorns this morning.” 

“Her family is in great part responsible for the genocide of krypton. They’re unwillingness to reject the rules of the council lead to them not acting as their world died. More than that they aided in suppressing those who tried to act. It was a death sentence for billions.” Alex’s face was serious. “Believe me, she knows the cruelty of her people more than anyone. She just chooses to embody the best of her people.” 

Sam let her head fall back. “I don’t know if I can do that.” 

“I couldn’t.” Alex replied.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys having a job I enjoy and am being paid for is super good for the mental health. Like terrible for writing, but great for general feelings of worth and shit. Also its less tiring than I would expect? Like I mean I'm putting in overtime and still taking on a significant amount of responsibility for the care of my grandmother while doing that fulltime/overtime thing. But like it was my first day off in a week today and I got out and did stuff with my grandmother. We went to the library, the bank, cot slices of cake and coffee at this little deli downtown. It was a lovely day. I also took the trash out, played with the corgis, took a nap. Like weirdly productive yet restful day. That said the bane of my existence needs to be done tomorrow...laundry.

Kara stared at the once empty wall of the fortress. It was all written in code, combining six dead alien languages and math that earth hadn’t even dreamed of yet. On it she had listed everything she remember about the past. Her forehead crinkled as she stared at it. 

“Is there a reason we’re freezing ourselves in the arctic?” Lena grumbled from where she was standing, resembling more of a puffball then a human, her wind chilled red cheeks standing out against the otherwise green and blacks of her many layers. 

She turned and smiled at her friend, Lena was at least talking to her again even if it was fairly stiff still. “Because you’re the smartest human on this planet and I’m the smartest kryptonian in recorded history and adjusting time is delicate.” 

“Why not have Alex here? Surely she would be of more help?” Lena’s eyes were traveling over the complicated information on the wall, her frustration growing as she clearly couldn’t understand it. 

Kara bit back a smirk at Lena’s frustration at what she’d called ‘scribbles’ ten minutes ago. “Because time doesn’t function on a principle of singular acts, but rather on larger trends.” 

“How does that matter?” Lena pulled off her large puffy outer coat. 

She bit her lip, but then she’d promised no more lies. “I suppose you would call it my thesis for acceptance to the science guild, but it was on harnessing and using temporal energy. Of course temporal energy is harnessed through manipulations in time. The hardest part of utilizing temporal energy is the sheer mass required to bend the fabric of reality. But that’s not what’s important.”

“The fact you apparently had a working theory to generate energy from punching holes in ripples in actual space time isn’t important?” Both of Lena’s brows rose in sheer incredulity. 

Kara shook her head. “What’s important are the various theories of the causation of time and behavior. Time travel was strictly illegal due to the inherently selfish and chaotic nature of moving in time. It’s...well you’re human movies and shows have it all a bit wonky really.” 

“Wonky?” Lena’s voice dry. 

She nodded. “Exactly, see when most people go back in time they want to change something to make their present objectively better. The problem is that there is no objective better or ideal future. Controlling all of the variables involved in time is impossible. Thus the unintended consequences will spiral out of control. There’s two competing theories on time travel and how to prevent uncontrollable change.”

“I assume one would be to make only surgical changes keeping all of your behavior the same as it had been, or excusing that making the absolute least amount of change possible to prevent a specific event.” Lena face furrowed with concentration as she thought it out. 

Kara beamed. “Exactly, it’s mostly useful in correcting the time line from those who have adjusted it to suit their needs. The other options is of course focusing on a single event and tracking all of the outcomes to ensure the other changes you have made haven’t massively affected the timestream. Both of those are options reserved for preserving the integrity of the timeline from those who would change it. It’s why time travel has been outlawed in every developed galaxy that has created the technology. Where time travel exists people believe they can fix what went wrong in their life. They cheated on their mate, a child died-”

“A planet exploded.” Lena finished for her looking at her curiously

Kara faltered for a second before recovering for herself. “And if I had gone back and attempted to save Krypton, perhaps I would have managed. But if I did the consequences for the universe at large would be...incalculable. Based off what data I have it seems clear to me that there was an increase in public support of returning our people to our former grandeur during the age of conquest and colonization. There were rising tensions between Krypton and our neighbors, particularly Daxam. My mother supported the current system while my father was one of the chief scientists developing Krypton’s weaponry in a biological manner. Medusa and the World Killers together have few agendas they could be for. If I saved my planet would I unleash Medusa and the World Killers on the universe? Would my mother stick to her rigid loyalty to the law and stand against my father’s progressive war preparedness position? Inevitably Krypton would have been torn asunder by civil war at the least.”

“But knowing those problems and being in a position of power surely you could guide Krypton in a better direction?” Lena frowned. 

She shook her head. “No. The trends and cultural movement of my people had existed for thousands of years before I was born. And the further one goes back the more difficult it becomes to control the change in any meaningful way. Because at the end of the day change is subjective. What is a better future from my perspective is very different than what it would be for anyone else. Besides I could be assassinated for standing against others more grown and powerful. That’s the thing about time it is...chaos and symmetry all at once.” 

“So what do you plan then?” Lena asked, her eyes sharp.

Kara took a deep breath. “That we don’t change the particulars. We don’t focus on this one change to fix any single issue. I suggest that we embrace chaos and strive only to change what larger forces would have swallowed any changes we made regardless.” 

“Such as?” Lena crossed her arms.

“Rising anti-alien sentimant. Aliens and humans need to be integrated as quickly and peacefully as possible. Especially in government and media in cultural hotspots like National City and Metropolis. Lex needs to have his access to stir and inflame existing tension taken away as soon as possible. The president needs to not run for re-election and gracefully retire from politics. Until that can happen we must be incredibly careful.” Kara bit at her lip as she looked over the map of information. 

Lena let out a sound of surprise. “The president? Surely you support her, she’s in favor of alien rights.” 

“She is an alien and the backlash if that is discovered will be horrific.” Kara mumbled while following strands of data. “Government programs involving alien slaves turned into weapons need to be stopped, possibly exposed on a case by case basis. The DEO needs to be public, even if the majority of its operations need to remain covert….” She hummed as she considered what changes could help change the tide of the culture at large. 

“STOP!” Lena had taken a half step towards her. “What do you mean the president is an alien?!” 

Kara paused as she looked at Lena’s face. “Ah...so that goes back to the Daxam invasion-”

 

 

 

Kara groaned wanting to hit her head against something hard enough it wouldn’t crack. “Yes the Hauren-el is powerful and holds a great deal of potential but just giving humans superpowers is not the answer to fear!” 

“If humans were equal to aliens they wouldn’t need to be afraid!” Lena countered sharply. 

She shook her head. “Lena if another kid was hitting Ruby with a stick would you give Ruby her own bigger stick? And you’re ignoring the fact aliens come in a variety of species with different abilities and skills. Making humans the equals of some level of power you consider necessary will always leave humans weaker in some fields and stronger in others. Already humans are capable of a great deal.” 

“If Ruby had a stick a bully wouldn’t be able to harm her and would leave her alone.” Lena replied while gesturing sharply, her glass of blue yok not even rippling from the motion in her other hand.

Kara felt her jaw tightening. “Aliens aren’t the bully in this situation! If you gave powers to someone like Lex? Because that’s what happened last time. Your premise is flawed. The answer to the holocaust wasn’t for the Jews to be given guns. It was to stop the nazis.” 

“Self protection is an important-”

“There is always going to be someone with a bigger stick Lena!” Kara snapped finally becoming fed up with how stubborn her friend was, not that she wasn’t stubborn herself, but still. “It's how the universe is, there will always be someone with more power and trying to engage in an intergalactic arms race is not how to create peace.” She huffed running a hand through her hair. “Being vulnerable is terrifying, but people hate and will always hate someone or something. Hate is not rarely about fear of a physical power. My people did not hate the Daxamites because they were more powerful than us. The White Martians did not hate the Green Martians because they were more powerful. There is a reason terrorists, and spree killers are rarely in poverty. It’s entitlement.” 

Lena looked rather pale, but she still raised a brow. “Entitlement?” 

“I stop three distinct types of crime Lena. Crime because the person felt they had no other choice, crime because of emotion, and crime because someone felt entitled to what was not theirs.” Kara gestured to her wall. “How many of your manufactures have failed to modernize since Nth metal entered the market but still have demanded you use your services? They hate aliens and companies using Nth metal not because they’re afraid, but because they see L-corps change of manufactures as theft of what is owed to them.” 

Lena’s mouth tightened. “And when humans can’t compete with aliens? What then?” 

“You already are! Did you know human art sells for millions off planet? You produce foods never tasted before, humans aren’t technology, they don’t become obsolete.” Kara smiled shaking her head. “Not to mention there are entire elements that are found alone on earth. Earth doesn’t need weapons, it needs unity.” 

“Please.” Lena scoffed. “You know as well as I that that is unlikely to happen.” 

Kara smirked. “And the UN? Or what about the EU.I’m not saying it will solve all of earth’s problems but it would be a start. Humans are one of the most varied species in the known universe. In trying to make everyone the same you’re taking away earth’s greatest strengths. Or do you think Alex is weak? If Alex can kill a High Kryptonian General why must you make humans stronger still?”

“We’re not going to agree on this.” Lena blew out a frustrated breath. “I’ll keep your opinion in mind but I won’t ignore the potential good I can do either.” She looked away towards the wall of the room. “Why bring me here for help just criticize my future scientific research and it's apparent outcomes?” 

Kara sighed. “Because we’re both single minded and miss thing that should be obvious because we focus so much on the immediate.” She chuckled. “My first weeks as Supergirl involved a lot of mistakes because I wasn’t tracking the consequences of my actions. If I intend to change history I need someone to spot my flaws and tell them to me. And I trust you to do that. I also trust you will see solutions I have not.”

“You asked me here to tear your ideas to shreds?” Lena looked actually flummoxed by that. 

Her shoulders slumped, a wry grin crossing her face. “And help make better ones.” 

“Alright, but first you have to tell me everything. Starting with what that wall of yours actually says.” Lena crossed her arms clearly waiting to be denied. 

Kara smiled genuinely. “Of course, and Lena, thank you.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the fulltime position! There were several of us competing over a single fulltime position. This means full benefits, medical, dental, vision, retirement, 401k, life insurance, disability insurance, proper overtime pay. Like the competition has been strong, people tend to stay in this position till they retire so there are not a lot of fulltime options. Putting in all that overtime this last month was so worth it! Christ its such a good medical insurance plan! But I got it! And I'm going to France with my girlfriend next month and just, this is going to be an excellent year for me. Oh and I'm getting a puppy in August, of course I will be sharing photos.....I need a puppy super cape.

Lena’s heels clicked on the floor as she strode through into the prison visiting area. She raised a single brow as she spotted her brother. “Lex, you don’t look completely awful.” 

“Wearing pant suits now sister?” Lex leaned back casually in his chair, a smug air of superiority and control wafting from him. 

She considered his confidence, really it was well placed if not for Kara. A smug smirk pulled up at her face as she set a small device on the table and pressed the single button and had to bite back a sound of a victory. It seemed it was truly Lex and not a hologram or some goon. “You shouldn’t have come see me personally you know.” 

“How else would I have come seen you? I am in prison.” He waved his hands magnanimously at their surroundings. 

Lena crossed her legs as she sat. “No goon wearing a digital enhancer, no hologram while you are off galavanting off in the world; I’m disappointed Lex, you shouldn’t have.” 

“Interesting.” He clasped his hands in his all too familiar air of presiding adult. “Impressive, why come see me and not simply send in the Supers then?” 

She chuckled dryly, having the advantage over Lex was sweet and she was going to savor this moment for years. “Because I needed the real you to be in this room with me.” As she spoke she heard the sounds of the doors locking, and the air systems turning on. “We’ll both be unconscious in the next few minutes.” 

“Prison transfer I’m assuming, but do you actually trust them to not disappear you as well?” Lex countered, but there was something like irritation in his expression. 

Lena lifted her hand checking her nails. “No, but I trust Supergirl to monitor the situation and ensure no harm comes to me.”

“So quick to trust those false gods.” He shook his head.

She felt a sharp burst of irritation. “No, but in my best friend certainly.” 

“You found out then, I must say I was expecting you to more betrayed by that information.” His head tilted ever so slightly. 

Lena smirked. “She told me, and hurt doesn’t equal betrayed. We’re not all sociopaths who think themselves entitled to the private secrets of our friends before they decide to tell us.” She was quietly struck by the fact that that was true. It wasn’t that she was faking because it was expedient, it was that she still considered Kara her best friend despite it all. And it was a private secret. Would she have felt equally upset if it had been something else involving Kara’s identity? It wasn’t like Kara’s motives had changed or she’d particularly used her.She pushed the thoughts aside, she could deal with them later. 

“Touche.” He looked around the room. “Impressive sedative, completely odorless.” Lex looked back to her his eyes glinting as he held her gaze. “You know the next prison will be just as useless as this one. A Luthor never is helpless after all.” 

Lena relaxed feeling an artificial relaxation loosening her muscles. “True, afterall the Luthor name commands respect, our family’s extensive connections both legal and illegal, more money than any other single family on the planet, our intelligence, and that says nothing of our ability to manipulate people should we choose to do so.” 

“You’ve accepted you’re a part of the family then? Finally taken a DNA test then?” Lex chuckled. “Took you long enough sister.” 

She smirked. “But that’s the thing, I can take every single one of those away from you.” 

“Not without killing me, and you’re too soft hearted for that.” He looked perfectly smug as he relaxed into his chair. 

Lena raised a brow, did he really underestimate her that much? “You’re going somewhere no one has heard of the name Luthor, where you have no money, no connections, and the technology is so medieval that hacking into or bypassing security is impossible, even for you.” 

“And where is that? Do you intend to send me to space, let me assure you even there that isn’t true.” Lex looked amused, as if he was seeing her first lego engine and calling it cute before dismissing her.” 

She sighed, her eyelids feeling heavy. “You’ll find out shortly.” Lena yawned, feeling herself slumping in her chair. 

 

 

 

Lena woke up, the dregs of sleep clinging to her. She was warm and surprisingly comfortable for falling asleep in a prison chair. Yawning she picked her head up off what seemed to be a pillow. Blinking she looked around the room. She’d been slumped onto the table, a pillow placed between her and the cold metal. Reaching up she touched the silken blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Looking down at the fabric between her fingers she wasn’t surprised to find it a familier red. Shifting slightly to the side she saw a capeless Supergirl standing protectively besides her. “It worked?” 

“It was your plan, of course it did.” Supergirl’s smile was cautious as she looked at her. 

Lena couldn’t help it, she smiled cautiously back. Stretching slightly she looked over at her brother. He was in a straight jacket, his hands sticking out and tied in the single oddest manner. “That’s a new form of handcuff?” 

A stiff figure in a green hood, compound bow over his shoulder glanced at her. “It’s designed to prevent those capable of dislocating their joints from being able to free their hands. Common practice when jailing trained assassins in my world.” 

“Green Arrow I presume?” Lena stood up slowly, her legs feeling slightly shaky as the affects of the sedative wore off. A warm hand caught her elbow immediately. 

Kara spoke as she steadied her. “You have transport arranged?” 

“I’m taking a portal straight to my prison on Lian Yu. He won’t see a single aspect of my earth, and he’ll have his vocal cords paralyzed as soon as we arrive.” The Green Arrow gave a sharp nod. “He will be secure in my hands.” 

Director Danvers cleared her throat. “Then with the authority of the President of the United States of America of Earth 38, I pass custody of Lex Luthor to the Green Arrow of Earth 1. Keep him secure.” 

“It’ll be done.” The Green Arrow’s hand clamped down on Lex’s still unconscious shoulder. “Till next time Supergirl.” 

Supergirl just beamed at the rough voiced man. “I owe you, thank you.” 

“There’s no debt between allies.” He gave her an almost fond gesture before opening the portal between earths. He easily lifted Lex’s bound form, his legs apparently tied together from hip to ankle, and shrugged him over his shoulder into a fireman carry. Without further ado he stepped through. The rift in sworlds closed as he passed through it. 

Lena wasn’t sure what she felt as an awkward silence fell over the room. She cleared her throat. “Shall we see what my brother has been up to then?” 

“Right, my agents already discovered he apparently had a secret computer room and lab off of his cell. Also money paying for nicer cells is disgusting.” Alex rumbled as she turned and held the door open for them. 

Kara released her elbow as if just noticing she’d still been holding on. “Sorry.” 

“It’s fine.” Lena felt her cheeks redden slightly, it felt like the skin where Kara had been holding was burning. “Let’s root out his supporters that we can identify then.” 

////

Lena didn’t think enough alcohol existed in the world for how much her head throbbed as she decoded yet another high ranked individual who was one of Lex’s supporters. Not that Lex had a list of supporters he could call on, no it was a record of a transaction of three million being anonymously sent to a sub contractor who’d installed the secret room under cover of night. “Hector note down that the Vice President’s secretary is aligned with Lex, I want a deep look at the Vice President to see if he knew. Three million is a lot for a secretary to have, trust fund or no trust fund.” 

“Ma’am.” The former agent of the DEO and her new assistant replied. He had been a godsend, he’d been in IT and programing with the DEO and wanted a safer position due to his partner and himself just having adopted their second child. He’d also passed a martian mind scan, so he was as likely to be safe as could be possibly determined. 

She went back to combing through her brother’s computer with a fine toothed comb. Lena heard a flutter of a familier cape. She glanced to where Hector was trying to hack into one of her employees private laptop, they’d been being paid by Lex. “Hector, take your lunch.”

“Ma’am.” He gave a sharp nod before vacating the room without a second glance at the caped woman slipping in through the balcony. 

“I brought Italian, figured you’d want comfort food.” Kara held up the bag from Figaros like a shield and a bribe all at once. 

Lena sighed. “Join me?” 

“Really?” The sheer hope in the wavering voice was painful to hear. 

It hit Lena as an ache in her chest that it wasn’t just her that was hurt by the distance between them. “I found the small corner of the dark web dedicated to alien hatred. It’s a cesspool, there’s a billion dollar reward for your identity that grows by the hour as more people donate to it. They have discussions on what to do to those humans who must be connected to you. It’s...vile.” 

“Yeah.” Kara’s face was drawn as she set the food down and sat on the far end of the couch. “In my original timeline a General found out. It took her less than thirty seconds to threaten the lives of my family should I fail to follow every order of the US government. Alex went from the Director of the DEO and a high ranking government official to expendable in moments.” 

“What happened then?” Lena’s voice was low as she swallowed that, it seemed position was no protection. It also implied the order had come from incredibly high up. Actually… “I believe Vice President Baker is deeply xenophobic and directly acting towards those goals.” 

Kara’s face paled slightly as she looked as if she’d been struck. “I knew he was dirty, that he was caught up in the rhetoric but… Well that changes things.” 

“They’re keeping lists of school children who are alien.” Lena still felt sick from that discovery, tracking of children but only a few attacks so far. But as tensions rose the prospect of tiny alien bodies grew. The bragging about the bullying being instigated towards those children was already disgusting. She’d thrown up her coffee at the photoshopped images of what they wanted to do. 

Kara closed her eyes. “So many of them died.” 

Reaching out slowly Lena laid her hand on Kara’s upper arm. “We’ll protect them, I’m with you.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sleep is magical and should never be forgotten about. Like dang, sleep is good.

Linda carefully threw Krypto’s tennis ball. If the looks she got from the other patrons of the park were correct she’d just misculated the strength a human should have slightly. She smiled and pushed her glasses up while ducking her head. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a granola bar and started munching on it. 

She beamed as Krypto came running back, super tennis ball in his mouth. “Good boy Krypto! Drop it boy.” 

Krypto set the ball down at her feet before sitting back, his tail wagging. “Woof!” 

“Woof.” She grinned as she woofed back at him. Leaning down she scooped up the ball and then tossed it just a touch more gently than the last time. 

He took off straight after it. 

With a pleased hum she opened up the folder of Super Suit designs someone named Winn had left behind, before leaving for the future. She could understand why Kara didn’t want to change her suit, but some of these other options were really neat. But for all that there were some fascinating ones she kept coming back to one particular design. It was white with gold trim, the house crest in gold on the chest but against the white it was… it was separated from Kara and Kal’s suits. There was still a red cape though shorter and hung off the shoulders differently from Kara’s. 

Dropping down onto the grass she held open her arms and caught Krypto as he came tearing towards her, tennis ball in tow. With infinite care she hugged him, her fingers running through his silky fur. She pressed her nose into his strawberry scented fur. It calmed her, the world feeling smaller and quieter as she focused on his heart beat, the feel of his coat. “Thanks boy.” She murmured into his fur. 

Krypto seemed understand what she needed as he leaned against her. His chin tucked under her chin. He held still just pressing into her with what power he had. 

She closed her eyes as she sighed out. Settled she pulled back and picked up his blue service vest, house El crest embroidered in red on one corner. With careful motions she buckled him into his vest before kissing his nose. “You’re a good boy Krypto.” 

He licked her cheek, his mouth pulled into a wide smile.

Linda hopped up to her feet. “Come on, let’s go find a quiet corner in a coffee shop and I can write that legend of Nightwing and Flamebird. It’s so sad but hopeful at the same time, I’m sure you’ll like it Krypto.” 

He just woofed softly. 

Her smile stretched her lips as she scratched behind his ears. “Come on, I even have a bone for you to chew while I write.” 

He nudged her hand with his nose.

“Come on.” She gave him a last scratch before standing up and making her way out of the park, Krypto trotting along right by her side. 

////

Linda unhooked Krypto’s leash. “I only broke one chair and two pens.” He promptly trotted off to the corner where his chewy toy was.

“Good, that’s really great progress.” Kara beamed with pride as she set down a carton of eggs. She clapped her hands. “Today we’re playing catch with eggs.” 

Sam made a sound of frustration. “I barely managed to not turn my office into a ruined wreck.” 

“You guys will learn to handle your casual actions once you become comfortable with your calculated ones.” Kara looked painfully kind. “Come on, who ever manages to catch an egg without it breaking first gets to pick what we eat after this.” 

Linda’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Sam sizing her up. “Game on.” 

“Really? I mean I eat a lot more now but really?” Sam looked between the two.

 

 

 

Linda felt her smile fall slightly as she wiped the egg off of her hands. “I found a design of Winn’s that I liked.” 

“Which one?” Kara cocked her head.

She felt her cheeks flushing. “Um… the white one? I know it's not really in the right colors or anything but I don’t want to just be you. Does that make sense?” 

“You’ll look completely breathtaking.” Kara covered Linda’s hand with her own and squeezed gently. “You are your own person and nothing will ever take that away.” 

Linda ducked her head, a pleased smile on her lips. “Thank you.” 

“What about you Sam, any thoughts on if you want a suit or not?” How Kara managed to have no expectations or weight when she asked things like that Linda didn’t know. 

Sam sucked in a slow breath through her teeth. Her cheeks puffed slightly as she breathed back out. “The midnight blue one with dark red accents.” 

“The one with military flares to the design?” Kara asked curiously. 

Linda’s brow crinkled. “Military flare? What is that?” 

“The one with protective pads built into the design, sharper angles and shapes to it and the high collar. It's clearly designed for defence and the way the fabric is cut is similar to how soldiers on this planet are cut.” Sam threw a fond look towards Linda. She straightened slightly as she rubbed at the egg on her face. “And yes that one. I’m not sure I’ll ever wear it, but I would feel better knowing it existed.” 

Linda nodded in understanding. “I know it’s not inevitable, but it feels that way. Like it’s not a choice not really. At least to me. I don’t think I could keep from helping for long.” 

“Not for me. It’s more… I think I need to know I can do good like this.” Sam was staring at the floor, her fingers tangled together. 

Kara leaned forward resting a hand on each of their shoulders. “Those are both good reasons and as long as you do not feel obligated to do so I’ll let Alex know we need the suits.” 

Linda hopped up onto her feet. “I’ll go tell her, I haven’t seen her all day yet.” She pushed her glasses up her nose. 

“She’s in the R&D labs, said something about finding something solid to take care of for the afternoon.” Kara’s eyes seemed to sparkle as she looked over to where Krypto was chewing on a bone. “I can keep Krypto company while you find her?” 

Linda giggled as she stepped towards the exit. “No giving him lots of cookies, you don’t have to sleep with the farts.” 

Sam’s nose wrinkled up. “The increased sense of smell is the worst...maybe I should get my nose pierced so I can wear a lead stud to help cut the smell?” 

“That might work…” Kara trailed off. “We could try, you’d have to let them use a kryptonite needle.” 

Linda left the two behind as she made her way towards Alex, she had a feeling possible methods of limiting certain abilities would take a while. She wouldn't miss anything, Kara would tell her if they figured something out. Tripping along she moved through the hallways. As she got closer to R&D, what she’d thought was just banging was getting louder and louder. Someone was hitting something metal, over and over. 

She frowned as she got closer. Opening the door slowly she peeked her head in, both of her brows rose. “Alex...are you ok?” 

“Just taking care of a security issue.” Alex raised the sledge hammer again before swinging it with her entire body at the...scraps of something on the floor. 

Linda edged into the room, closing the door behind her. “What is...was that?” 

“An air dispersal system, best to make sure there’s nothing left to use against anyone.” Alex growled. She paused looking over at Linda thoughtfully. “Want to help me weld it into a paperweight for my desk? I can hit irritating newbies with it.” 

She opened her mouth slightly but paused...not going to question some of that. “Sure? Can I use my heat vision?” 

“Yes.” A slightly manic grin split across Alex’s face. 

 

 

 

Linda chewed on her burger, Krypto laying across her legs. She was sitting against the walls, legs straight out in front of her. “That was fun. We should break things more often.” 

“It does make it feel like you’re doing something.” Alex set the wrapper of her burger aside. 

Her brow crinkled. “But we did do something?”

“Huh? Oh we did but it didn’t fix the problem I was angry about.” Alex took a swig of her soda. 

Linda nodded thoughtfully, she didn’t properly understand what Alex was feeling but she thought she understood the point. “What are you angry about then?” 

“Things I can’t change.” Alex huffed. “I don’t have the fancy powers.” 

Linda tilted her head. “But you’re the director of the DEO, you’re Alex!” 

“I can’t stop the threats you and Kara can.” Alex bit off a piece of fry. 

She leaned forward. “What, but you can stop things we can’t stop!” 

“I...what?” Alex blinked looking at her in confusion.

Linda rolled her eyes. “You are a leader of men! You inspire and lead humans into battle against opponents faster, stronger, and bigger than they are and you win! You’re Kara’s hero! You’re my hero.” 

“She’s right.” Kara’s voice came from the doorway. “You should listen to us twins, you’re clearly too gay to think straight.” 

Alex snorted, her eyes suspiciously watery. “Please don’t tell gay jokes, you’ll hurt yourself.” 

“Please, it was excellent and you know it.” Kara chided as she trooped in, her arms full of more take out. 

Linda beamed. “Is that more burgers?!”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this at five am....I blame the hour for the nose dive into angst

Kara turned as she heard the president entering the oval office. “President Marsdin.” Her voice was flat as she looked at the other woman. It was...this was necessary. 

“Supergirl? What are you doing here?” Marsdin waved off her security who had been drawing their guns. “If Supergirl wanted to hurt me your guns wouldn’t stop her.” 

Kara looked at the guards pointedly. “I believe you don’t wish anyone to hear what we need to talk about.” 

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Marsdin walked over towards her desk, her eyes having turned wary. 

Kara spoke carefully. “About the scandal linked to your parents’ citizenship.” 

“Leave us.” Marsdin didn’t look away from Kara. She flicked her wrist as one of the agents went to say something. “Supergirl isn’t going to hurt me, shut the door behind you.” 

She remained silent holding the president’s stare till she heard the door close. The office was eerily quiet as the door finally closed. Kara sighed. “Lex Luthor knows about your families ‘scandal’, also as we speak the FBI and DEO are staging a series of raids of those financially linked to Lex on charges of aiding and abetting a terrorist, as well as treason. Including in those who are being arrested by SWAT is Vice President Baker. Your administration, as well as nearly a quarter of the Senate, two Supreme Court Justices and almost a hundred congressman are going to be in custody. That’s not even mentioning the federal and state judges, and various politicians at all levels. Simon Stagg, Maxwell Lord, and Vandal Savage are all being arrested on charges of treason and terrorism as well. Which is three out of the seven richest people on the planet. I could keep listing names, but I’m sure you understand the scale of what’s happening.” 

“I wasn’t looped in due to Baker then?” Marsdin’s nails clicked against the top of her desk. 

Kara breathed in. “Partially, also because you won’t be running for re-election. You have two and a half years to clean out corruption, remove every anti-alien and human rights politician, officer, and agent you can before you will step down and allow someone else to be elected.” 

“And why would I do that?” Marsdin was completely rigid in her seat.

She wouldn’t sugar coat anything for this woman. Not after knowing how badly she had already failed and would continue to fail. “I thought you were different, that you were better. I even voted for you. But you’re a politician through and through. You ignored things you should not have ignored, accepted collateral damage and reasonable compromise when it was unacceptable. You did nothing knowing the government had alien prisoners turned into weapons through torture. Alien children beaten and starved till they would kill on command. General’s like Lane left to continue their sick experiments. Cadmus militarized.” 

“I’ve done the best I could! Alien Amnesty was passed, slow change is better than nothing. I’ve cut funding to programs, worked on phasing out what I could.” Marsdin defended.

Kara grit her teeth. “Maybe you did, but you need to do better then. Because these people, this planet deserves better and we’re going to give it to them. And then you’re going to step down because if your scandal gets out it will destroy everything both of us have ever worked for or wanted for this country. And everyday you’re in that seat, in this office you’re risking every alien life on this planet.”

////

Kara would have giggled if it wasn’t so serious. She didn’t think she’d ever seen Snapper turn pale. Various shades of red all the way up to a disturbing puce, she was half convinced he had a blood pressure problem. Maybe she should recommend a doctor? 

“Hate in America, Our Own Taliban.” Snapper’s voice was eerily even as he spoke. “Do you have a death wish?” 

She forced herself not to bend to his disbelief. “It’s all cited and I have an inclusion of every name the government is arresting as we speak for treason.” 

“I saw, the list in print will be pages.” Snapper pinched the bridge of his nose. “You ready for the shitshow this will bring down on your head Ponytail?” 

Kara tipped her chin up. “The story needed to be written. I’ll post it myself if I have to lose my job again so be it.” 

“Oh hell.” He dropped the article on his desk and yanked a drawer open and pulled out a dusty bottle of whiskey. “I’m assuming you have follow up article plans?” 

She nodded. “Of course, I have a long piece on Max Lord ready for print at any time. I finally have the needed sources for it. Then I have a piece on General Lane and the US Government’s connections to Cadmus. Which then I also have an in depth article on the militaries forced alien child soldiers. I also have a series linking sixty percent of all alien on human crime to reactions to anit-alien terrorism and state sponsored violence inciting their actions. I was considering turning in that one tomorrow.” 

“Was not expecting something this big from you to be honest. Big, but not blow up the country big.” He grumbled while grabbing a post it note and scribbling a number on it. Twisting the lid off he poured two slightly dusty glasses of whiskey. Handing one over he also passed the number. “Get yourself a bodyguard, you’ll be dead by the end of tomorrow if you don’t.” 

“Huh?” Kara paused, this was not turning out how she had been expecting him to react. To be honest she’d been expecting yelling, maybe an f-bomb or two. 

Snapper just grunted as he shoved the glass and note into her hand harder. “Don’t look like that, before we fucking change the world I want a drink and you’re going to need one.” 

“Sir?” She blinked, well she’d been right about the f-bomb. Kara knocked back the whiskey. Spluttering she pressed a hand to her chest as the foul liquid burned down her throat. “What is that?” 

“Cheap whisky is good for knocking some sense into a person.” He knocked his back before letting out a hiss through clenched teeth. “It’s been too long.” 

Kara grimaced as she set her glass on the desk. “Too long?” 

“I only break it out when one of my reporters writes something that’s going to change things.” He crossed his arms leaning against his desk. “This is going to put you in danger. Everyone on the list not to mention half the country will want you dead for this. Best get a bodyguard by yesterday if you want to survive. It’d be shame to lose you Ponytail.” 

She carefully put the number into her pocket as she swallowed. “My sister is with the FBI, I’m under their protection.” 

“Huh, guess that’s how you got an FBI contact.” He nodded. 

Kara considered him. “Who said I only have one?” 

Snapper snorted, chuckling. “Well once I walk out that door all hell is gonna break loose. I expect those other articles on my desk in time for print tomorrow. And you’re going to have to help edit old articles for reprint on the appropriate subjects.” 

“I have some suggestions for that.” She offered, something settling. He was going to help, this was going to work. 

He looked her up and down. “Well then, guess you should get started Danvers.” 

 

 

 

Kara was typing using her speed. They had two hours before it went to print and the whole paper had to be re-written as an expose on the series of arrests. She was currently flying through a piece tracking the rise of anti-alien crime reports. Grabbing the desk phone she entered in a number she hadn’t dialed in a long while. 

-”Sawyer.”- Maggie’s familiar voice came through the line. 

Kara kept typing on with one hand. “I know you’re busy Maggie but I need a favor.” 

-“Little Danvers? What’s going on? The Feds have been filling up our cells and half my uniforms have been requisitioned by the Feds. I’m stuck in the damned office and three of our detectives haven’t shown up today.”- Maggie hissed, apparently trying to keep her voice lowish. 

She winced, she’d forgotten the problem of Cadmus members and sympathisers in the police force in National City. “I can’t tell you if you’re by your colleagues but Maggie, it involves taking down Cadmus. And I need your help as Kara Danvers.” Kara bit her lip. 

-”Shit...what do you need?”- Maggie turned serious instantly. 

Kara paused in her typing. “I need the records I know you’ve been keeping, tracking anti-alien crime in National city over the last ten years.” 

-”I could lose my badge for giving that to a reporter without permission kid.”- Maggie did sound genuinely sorry for what it mattered. 

She glanced at the hive of activity around them. It was all sleep deprived and stressed reporters. So stressed in fact she wasn’t even bothering with hiding how fast she could type. “Believe me when you see what is happening tonight giving me this data will make your captain just grateful you’re !00% cleared.” 

Maggie let out a sound like a snarl. -”You’re saying the department is dirty.” - The background sounds in the room Maggie was in stopped completely. -”You’re implying those fuckers were members of this police force? That the men watching my back were on the payroll of a terrorist organization!?”- There was a sound of sheer rage. -”I’ll have it to you in thirty.”-

“Thank you Maggie, it’ll help more than you know.” Kara thanked her emphatically. “When this is over I’ll take you out for tea and lunch at that vegan place you like. I know you wanted space from us but you’re still family.” 

-”I’ll...fine. See you later kid.”- Maggie hung up. 

Kara looked up. “I have everything on anti-alien crime over the last ten years in the city being faxed over from the police department. When it finishes coming through let me know.” 

“Jesus you have contacts in every law enforcement agency Danvers?” Susan asked from where she was frantically highlighting past articles before passing them to an intern. 

Snapper barked from across the room. “No yapping! We go to print if fifty three minutes!” 

Kara went back to her article. Three of her articles including this one would be in the upcoming issue, which was just unheard of. She stopped as her fingers lifted from the keyboard. She was done, just the basic stats to be added and citations put in. 

“Danvers! My office now!” Snapper called as he headed into the office. 

She jumped to her feet, rattling the central desk she’d been at and jogging over to Snapper’s office. “Sir?” 

“This is your article, I’m sticking this photo on the cover with your article. Objections?” He didn’t even glance at her as he grabbed something coming out of his copier. 

Kara looked down and sucked in a surprised breath. The cover held her title, the image showed a flag flying in the background of an empty street. There was something eari about the lighting and sheer emptiness of it. It looked like the set of a movie, lived in but abandoned, the red shades of sunset splashed across the concrete. “It’s good Sir.” 

“Get back to work Danvers.” He replied while grabbing the layout and walking out.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm off in overtime land and enjoying the pay checks not so much the hours... But loving the job so long live overtime! Just missing the writing time.

Lena stared at the camera’s and media surrounding the building down below. There were less of them down below than she was expecting after the news of last night's events had hit the news this morning. She held the phone to her ear waiting for it to pick up. 

-”Lena! I was going to stop by in an hour. Are you ok? I can be there in four seconds.”- Kara’s voice was alert and sharp. Lena didn’t doubt that just a word and Kara would be in the air on her way to save her. 

She softened slightly at the way it seemed natural for Kara to care, to be concerned. “I’m most likely safer at the moment than usual. No heads up on this besides a text? I know I suggested ripping everything out of the shadows but I wasn’t expecting it today.” 

-“Sorry about that, once it stated it just was...fast. And to be honest the farther you appear from this the safer for your company and you.”- Kara let out a long tired breath. -”Alex came through on getting the authority to take out Lex’s supporters you and Brainy got off his computers. The Assistant Director of the FBI staged a coup, and apparently the Navy, Airforce, and Coast Guard were all deeply opposed to the direction Lane and his ilk have been taking the Army. They didn’t tell me they were acting until last night. I barely had time to speak with the president before it went down.”-

Lena’s shoulders lowered slightly, Kara hadn’t left her out of the loop on purpose. “What now?”

-”Now we handle the fall out. You should be able to take advantage of the economic upheaval with two of your largest competitors being arrested. I trust you with their power and resources a lot more than whomever else has the ability to buy up controlling interest in their companies. Other than what you can do in the business world it's best you don’t touch what’s happening with a ten foot pole. With Lex on a different earth if they get a whiff of you being implicated the media will make you the face of these arrests if given half a chance.”- Kara’s voice sounded frustrated. -”Neither Kara or Supergirl should be seen around you. I’ll grab a tactical suit and fly by once it's dark.”-

It was...irritating but true. “We’ll talk then. Kara….I saw the news, the protests.” 

-”If they turn to riots I’ll step in as Supergirl. It’s still early, they haven’t hit the west coast yet. Till then I’m needed at Catco, it’s...it's bad Lena. The fall out from this is going to be bad. I’m trying to help with the narrative, I know the Planet is as well but just...I can’t tell how it's going to go. This is unpredictable Lena.”- And Kara just sounded small and scared as she spoke. 

Lena bit her lip, but they needed the plan. “Lex won because he worked in the shadows, he used a dozen intermediaries and by the time you knew you were being used it was too late. He grew hate by keeping it hidden, preventing people from understanding the danger. If we want to root out the damage he could have done we have to do the opposite. If we play his game not knowing what his plan was we lose; even with a rough idea from your memories. Change takes upheaval.” 

-”Why do all of your plans always involve chaos?”- Kara grumbled. -”Trap at the gala, faking genocide to catch your mom…. This is not how plans are supposed to work Lena!”-

Lena smirked. “Well it's better than your punch first ask questions later approach. That isn’t even a plan. Also wait and see is a terrible option.” 

-”I have to go, Snapper is calling for me. If you need me just call.”- 

She turned away from the window. “Do your job, I’ll handle the business side. Even if some of them get off I’ll make sure they’re financially ruined. I already have my acquisitions department busy.” 

-”See you tonight Lena, stay safe.”-

Lena smiled slightly. “You as well.” She hit end call slowly pulling the phone from her ear, one arm wrapped around her stomach. So stage one of saving the future had started then. It was a week earlier than she was expecting, but her aquission team had what they needed. As soon as she’d been woken by Kara’s text at one am she’d called in all of her people. They were all buzzing about preparing for the storm to break.

The early morning light was lighting up the still waking city. Chaos would grow as more and more of the city awoke to the news. For now she had a chance to breathe, her team was prepared and ready to do their jobs. Once it began in earnest she wouldn’t come up for so much as air let alone sleep or food for days. But then controlling the chaos her brother caused had always been one of her skills, even if she was the cause now. 

Closing her eyes she let herself have this one moment of quiet. 

It was funny, she’d been texted by Kara, Alex, Linda, and Brainy with quick alerts that is was happening. Nothing that could compromise her, only enough to show she had friends in the government. Sam had shown up before she could call her in asking ‘why the fuck she was getting cryptic texts at one god damn am in the morning?’. But James, her boyfriend had been completely silent. 

James...he hadn’t been looped in by Kara as far as she was aware, but he should have gotten the heads up from Snapper that she had gotten. For god’s sake she owned Catco. But nothing. Lena bit into her lip, she didn’t have time to be questioning the most solid romantic relationship she’d had...ever. But she couldn’t keep the doubt from creeping in. 

“Ms Luthor!” Hector burst in shattering the quiet of the room.

Lena snapped around towards her assistant. “What’s happening?” 

“The news just hit that the Vice President was arrested last night on charges of treason.” Hector was as pale as his skin tone would allow. “Ma’am the President has announced she’ll be making an address to the nation in an hour.” 

Lena gave a sharp nod. “Tell the lawyers I want them to focus on buying out Lord, Stagg and Savage. If they can’t buy out I want a controlling share of their stocks by the end of the day. And get Ray Palmer on the line.” 

“The CEO of that new tech company? They’re barely worth note.” Hector’s brow furrowed as he clearly tried to place whether any of the chief officers of the company were on the treason list. 

She smirked. “I have it on good authority that Mr Palmer is good egg. Besides, he’s got a face that we’ll need to keep the scandel off of us.” 

“If you say so Ma’am. I’ll have you connected to his phone as quickly as possible.” He gave a sharp nod before turning on his heel and leaving the room. 

Lena stepped to her desk and sat down. It would seem the battle was beginning. She clicked on the tv to the stock market. It was varying wildly. Picking up her phone at the sound of a beep she leaned back in her seat. “Mr Palmer, thank you for speaking to me at this early of an hour.” 

-“What do you want Ms Luthor, I don’t believe you’ve even considered ever lowering yourself to speaking with me before.”- His voice was short, clearly he’d only been woke up shortly before. 

She considered what Kara had told her of this man on earth one, and what she knew of him on this earth. “I knew today was coming, I assisted in recovering the information from my brother’s hard drives that the FBI recently discovered. As such I’ve been preparing to ensure his goals are properly shut down. It is rather difficult to find people in positions of power not compromised by Lex.” 

-“And I was too far down the business food chain to be noticed by him.”- Ray let out a sound of exhaustion. -“I’m sure you’re completely above board and just want to stop the evils of your brother and gain nothing at all from all this.”- His sarcasm was dripping through, huh he was grumpy in the morning. 

Lena softened, he wasn’t completely stupid and he seemed every bit the type of man Kara had described him as. “Oh I intend to benefit from this, I’m a businessman not a saint. That said I’m sure you understand that even though I may be capable of it purchasing all of Lord, Stagg and Savage’s business interests while they’re compromised, it won’t play well in the news even while they’re distracted. But I don’t intend to allow those pieces of scum to have wealth backing them up if they manage to escape charges.” 

-“You plan to bankrupt them.”- He sounded interested. -”And then what, stand aside and let me buy up what I can?”-

“Yes and no.” She flipped open her stock portfolio. “I’m about to liquidate every single stock I own in their companies, which is not insignificant. That plus the scandle and their stock will hit rock bottom. Then through several subsidiaries I’m rebuying the stock.” 

He audibly swallowed. -”That’s illegal, not to mention telling me this implicates me in insider trading.”-

“It’s already being done.” Lena shook her head. “And I didn’t act on the information I had till it was out to the public. You’re being informed as everyone else is. Just with...slightly better informed advice. Your lawyers would get a case of insider trading thrown out in a matter of hours if it even made it to court, which it won’t. What I need you to do Mr Palmer is buy up the stock in as many of Lord and Stagg’s medical subsidiaries. It’s slightly off brand but would be excellent diversification of your portfolio and you could easily gain controlling interest in them. Wayne Industries is acquiring the labs and holdings on the East coast as well as in Gotham. Of course I’m investing in their Metropolis and West coast holdings.”

There was a long pause. “Who else do you have in this little plot to cut pieces of your competitors?” 

“Queen Consolidated, Thermiscira Inc mostly. Catco and the Planet will be buying out the right wing media outlets that are about to take a nosedive over the coming weeks. I’m sure others will also be building plans to make a move on the stock market in the coming hours, but if you move now you’ll be ahead of your competition.” She wrapped her fingers against her desk. 

Ray made a sound as if he had been about to say something only to change his mind. There was a beat of silence. “And what do you want in exchange for this, I may not be a part of your little .1% club but I’m not stupid.”

“You come highly recommended by an individual I trust implicitly.” Which wasn’t that terrifying, even if she was still fuming with said individual. “I cannot drag this country into a future without the likes of my brother and his sycophants by myself. If that means helping my future competition rise to the occasion than so be it. Besides, if I must have rivals better a rival I can respect than one who I cannot.” 

He swallowed. “And who is it who recommended me then?” 

“Kara Danvers.” Lena realized it was Kara she trusted not Supergirl. Oh she trusted Supergirl and had done so even when she was spitting mad at the woman, to do the right thing even if it was moronic and self aggrandizing. But Kara, well she trusted her even if she was being an idiot to have the best of intentions and to follow through should she make a mistake. If Kara trusted this Ray Palmer than Lena agreed with her, especially after having her own background check run on him. Just because the Ray of earth one was trustworthy didn’t necessarily mean this one was as well.

Ray cleared his throat. “I’m sorry you trust the reporter who just blew the lid on Cadmus, half the government and generally has thrown our entire country into chaos?” 

“She’s had full and unrestricted access to my office for two and a half years. If she told me to jump from my balcony right this second I would do it without question. She’s the single most morally upright person I have ever met. Stupidly so, and she is as capable of mistakes as the next person. But I know that her moral fiber is bone deep and she would sooner die than be bought or coerced into acting against what she sees as the good of the world.” Lena tipped her chin up. Shit, she was going to have to have a long conversation with Kara that would probably involve her apologizing after all of this. 

He spoke slowly. “I’ll do it, mostly because it's the smart thing to do. But I don’t trust you Ms Luthor, not by a long shot.” 

“I don’t expect you to. I’m a Luthor after all.” And Lena swiveled in her chair looking out over the city. Because she was, in everyway that mattered, she really was a Luthor. It was time she stopped avoiding that simple truth and used it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went out for curry and then to see Detective Pikachu today with my girlfriend. It was super fun! Which, god I love spending the day with my girlfriend and can't wait till later in the year when we're moving in together. 
> 
> Also a shout out to badwolf-spaceandtime for helping proof read this chapter. I was super iffy on this one and it helped a lot to get some feed back.

Alex dropped the box of files on the table in front of Lord. She could hear her agents dropping boxes along the wall behind her. Holding his gaze she waited till the door closed behind her. 

“Alex, it’s been too long.” His smarmy expression was slightly strained, his general appearance ruffled. Which was too be expected, he’d been dragged out of bed by SWAT in the middle of the night. “Here to ask for my help?”

She sniffed. “Drop the crap Max, you’re done. You’re not getting out of this.” Alex flicked her eyes to the boxes of files. “I have enough to bury you and even the President can’t order us to look the other way because of your military contracts this time.” 

“So what do you want then if your case is solid already? Going to take me up on that offer of a date? I’m sure I could get conjugal visits till I make parol.” He smirked, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat. 

Alex felt her eye twitch at that, god she couldn’t believe she’d considered sleeping with this pile of sleaze when she thought she was straight. “I’d rather not catch something.” She grabbed a notepad and a ballpoint pen and set them down on the desk in front of him. “You’re not getting parol Max. The death penalty for treason is being brought up. If you want to save your neck you’re going to corporate. Tell me everything you know and implicated and witness against all of your little cronies. Do it and I can guarantee the death penalty will be off the table for you.”

“They’re not going to execute me.” But something about him showed that sliver of doubt, the way his skin paled, cheeks hollowing ever so slightly.

She almost felt the ghost of pity, but then she knew it wasn’t real. Just the passing flicker of pity at seeing a bug squashed. “You’re being charged with treason, terrorism, murder, torture, illegal human experimentation, and collusion just to name a few of the more serious ones. People will be executed by firing squad before this is over, your choice is whether you will be joining them.”

“Fine, what do you want to know.” He reached out picking up the pen.” His shoulders slumping slightly. Which he had to know if the bombings and Bizarro became public knowledge he was done. 

Alex stared at him. “I want everything, and if you lie the deal of no death penalty goes.” 

“Nothing for the help I’ve given?” He asked, his voice cracking slightly.

Her lip curled in disgust. “I’ve already seen what my agents have found with their warrants in the last four hours.” 

“I was saving the world.” He defended weakly. 

She stood up. “If you actually think that than you’re worse I thought.” Turning on her heel she walked out. 

“Alex!” He called out, hoping she’d stop. 

Alex didn’t stop. She let the door close cutting off his voice. “I want each page confirmed as viable information as he finishes it.” 

“Is it true ma’am, what you said about the executions?” Jones asked from where he was holding a tablet taking notes. 

She looked over at the rookie agent. “With treason on this scale the government cannot be lenient or else they cast suspicion onto themselves. They’ll deal the hardest sentences they can and no governor or the president would risk political suicide by offering pardons. Whether it's right or not the big name individuals won’t survive this. The reaction is going to be fast and brutal as those who are in power try to save their own asses.” 

“It’s just...should we do something for them?” He looked at her, conflict warring across his face. 

She could see that every agent in the hallway was listening. “No, they are traitors and terrorists. Max Lord is responsible for the deaths of our own agents. These people used us, planned to use us to kill the citizens of the country we are sworn to protect and serve. Is execution right? That’s not for us to decide. Vote how you feel on that issue, attend marches, sign petitions, I don’t care what you do in your private time as citizens of this nation. But our duty is to protect this nation and we do that by arresting and stopping those who would harm it, even our fellow Americans if we must. The courts will decide what to do with the scum. Be proud that we were able to protect thousands if not millions of our civilians by arresting these traitors last night. Its our job to stop, not judge. Now get back to work.” 

Alex stepped into the next interrogation room, she noted absently that she had been able to visibly see her agents’ spines straightening at her words. It was...rewarding leading the DEO in a new direction. Closing the door behind her she stared at her next victim. “I have a deal for you.” 

////

Alex stood at attention in the command room. The screens filled with the live stream of the president’s address to the nation. She cleared her throat. “Radio silence except for emergency updates during the address.” 

“Ma’am!” couroused from around the room. 

She folded her hands behind her back and held her breath. This could put cracks into the foundation they had made for change that night. Not that Kara and Lena, let alone herself would allow their country to be kept in the mire of filth it currently was in. 

The room fell into an unnatural hush as the screens showed President Marsdin behind her desk in the oval office. There was a certain tightness, dark circles that not even make up could completely cover under her eyes. Her jaw was set, back straight, hands clasped before her. And then she spoke. “Citizens of the United States of America and the world. I come to you today to address the events of the last twelve hours. I would like to confirm that last night 5,431 individuals were arrested on charges of terrorism, conspiracy and treason among other charges depending on the individual. Next that some of those individuals including Vice President Baker were found within my own administration.” 

“I would also like to confirm the rumors I was not included in the nationwide sting that occured due to fears it would leak if I was informed. The sting was organized and performed by the leaders of our Navy, Coast Guard, Airforce, FBI and a covert organization focusing on alien threats. That said I fully support the actions of those individuals who organized and executed this strike against the hate that has been growing in our midst.” 

Marsdin paused. “It is here I must apologize to every citizen in this country. I knew about some of the programs and crimes that are going to be revealed over the next few weeks. I have reason to believe that Ms Danvers has the evidence to bring far more dirty laundry to light than already has.” The woman’s lips quirked. “Which as I’ve been reminded is the role journalism is supposed to fulfill in this country. It is supposed to hold those of us in power accountable for our actions.” 

“And this government had jealously guarded it's secrets for too long. I have helped hide and cover for those secrets. In part because I thought I could change this system from within. That I could reduce and cut influence, make changes slowly and without jeopardizing everything. But I was wrong. With that in mind I have three promises I intend to make to the American people.” 

“One, I will dedicate this office and the presidency to doing the hard, self critical work of looking for, finding and rooting out the rot inside the government. We will search, hunt and discover every last treasonous member of this government and this nation. In the past my predeccessors declared war on outside enemies, but the enemy we are facing today comes from within. This enemy are people of our own nation who have decided to encounter those refugees from beyond the stars with hate instead of compassion, people who in their greed decided that their personal gain is worth more than the lives of innocents” 

“So two I will leave no stone unturned, no question unasked in order to prevent this from ever happening again. Because a sitting Vice President can never be a traitor ever again, a convicted mass murderer and terrorist can never have the power to be one death away from having a puppet in the most powerful position in the world. We as a nation have become complacent, we have allowed this hatred that is antithetical to every ideal we espouse to believe in to take root and grow for too long. The time for standing aside and apathy is over. A time to stand and say ‘no more’ is here. And so I say No More!” 

“Third in order to demonstrate and ensure that I will uphold these two goals without compromise, doubt or conflicting interests, I will not be running for reelection. What I will do is pursue a better tomorrow, a better America, a loyal, safe, and unified America that we can be proud to call ours at any cost, including what will assuredly be my political career. I will not be swayed or delayed or forced to consider compromise by campaign funds, or talking points. This is my oath, my promise to take the first step towards a better future, by doing better myself; as we all must in the coming days.” 

“I know there is shock, betrayal and fear. But I say to you that this nation will survive this by together stronger because of those differences. We must stand together saying ‘no more’. I ask of each and every one of you to ask that question one of my predecessors so famously asked. “Ask not what my country can do for me, ask what I can do for my country.” And what you can do for our country is to hold your leaders accountable, the people around you accountable, to speak up, to stay strong, to refuse to let this hate that has infected us define us.” 

“Thank you, stay strong, and remember that it is our unity and belief in ideals larger than any of us, that we could never live up to that has defined our nation. We as a people have done terrible things, and we have done wonderful things. But we have always risen above our past by holding to our ideals above our reality, perhaps even at the cost of our reality at times. Today is a day when we must be better. Have faith in God, our people, and in ourselves. Thank you and Good Bye.” 

The screen cut out and Alex stared as the entire room remained completely silently. 

A technician breathed out a single word. “Fuck.” 

She glared at the man, even if she agreed with the sentiment. “You heard the President! Get on with your work we have a mission and a job to do. Do your jobs and do them well.” Alex turned on her heel and made her way out of the command center. 

Her strides were quick and sharp as she moved into her office and shut the door with a slam behind her. Slumping she leaned against the door. Alex felt her chest tightening. Grabbing her phone she hit the speed dial. 

-”Alex!”-

“What did you say? I wasn’t...I didn’t know she had that in her.” Alex hissed out.

Kara’s voice was amazingly upbeat considering the presidential address the entire goddamn country had just heard. -”I know! I didn’t think I got through to her.”-

“Got through to her?! She just declared war on the right wing!”

-”The extremest side of the right wing.”- Kara replied, the eye roll audible in her voice. 

Alex slammed her fist against the wall. “God damn it Kara this is a war! There will be riots in the streets by the end of the day! This could spin out of control so quickly! Do you realize what you’ve set in motion?” 

-”You agreed with the plan, breathe Alex. We have allies, we’re not doing this alone. When the photos of dead and butchered humans and alien children start hitting the media the moderates will abandon the extremists faster than I eat potstickers.”- 

Alex pressed her hand into her forehead. “Stay safe, keep an ear out for Linda. Just...don’t do anything dangerous.” 

-”I will, and Alex you stay safe too.”- Kara’s voice was soft. 

She sucked in a breath. “I will.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I'm so sad, the coffee spot a couple yards from my work station is down for renovations...I'm not gonna get tipped in free Starbucks for like a month. God I love this job. I love that this place has a tipping culture. Like at my last job doing the same thing the best tip I got was a little kid who made me a Gingerbread house cause he felt bad I was working on Christmas. A five year old had pity on me.... I mean I cried and kept that house in the living room for months, but still. At the new job I've had a fifty just tossed at me and we get free coffee from guests pretty regularly.

James jerked awake with a grunt. Groaning he rubbed at his eyes, sucking in a deep breath. He winced as he wiped at the drooled on one cheek. Shaking himself awake, he looked over to his assistant. “How long have I been asleep?” 

“Two hours.” Julie replied as she kept flipping through files, highlighter behind one ear. 

He blinked. “Changes?” 

“Supergirl stepped in and calmed down four riots, three that were trying to tear down government buildings and one that was more of a mob trying to tear down an apartment building mostly used by aliens. Superman is doing the same on the other side of the country, though two riots on opposing sides ran into each other and it got violent before he turned up.” Julie flipped to a different page of her notepad. “It’s expected the president will announce a state of emergency and put out a nationwide curfew. Seventeen states have already announced curfews including California. There’s rumors of the National guard being called in to help keep order. Though how that would play considering the corruption and treason in the army is unknown.” 

James looked at the chaos on the screens behind him. Straightening up he felt his shoulders setting. “Julie push all my calls back. There’s somewhere I need to be.” Guardian was clearly needed. He took half a step forward before finding a ballpoint pen digging into his chest.

Julie glared at him, her pen keeping him pinned from moving forward without stabbing himself with cheap office supplies. “I let you have a short nap because you needed it. But sir now is not the time for you to handle anything personal. You have fifty seven calls that need to be made before midnight, the board called an emergency session in three hours and you need a formal media strategy by then. Tomorrow’s layouts need to be approved within the hour, then Snapper wants the go ahead to have videos filmed with the online versions of the articles. Then Ms.Danvers has been requested on every major and minor news network for interviews and she needs to know our media plan before her first live interview in twenty minutes.” She sucked in a breath. “Besides your girlfriend is just as busy as you so it would be pointless to visit her anyways.”

“Girlfriend?” He gaped at the woman, since when did she have this sort of thing in her?

Her face furrowed. “Ms Luthor, our CEO...you have briefed her on what’s going on yes? She’s your girlfriend, we didn’t send an official write up since you’ve always handled that personally.” 

“I hadn’t gotten to that, and I know who my girlfriend is.” He ran a hand over the top of his head. “She understands how important this is, I’ll send a brief to her in the morning.”

Julie’s jaw tightened slightly. “I’ll send a preliminary brief to her in that case. In the meantime I’ve forwarded your agenda to your computer. Also Snapper will be here to discuss the media strategy in three minutes. An intern should be here with your coffee in two.” 

“Right, do that.” He slumped slightly as he made his way back to his desk. If he rushed it, he could leave to actually help once he was done with the board meeting. 

////

James dragged himself into his apartment at two in the afternoon the next day. He didn’t bother with undressing, just pulling his neck tie off and face planting on the bed. Sleep, glorious sleep. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. 

 

 

 

He cracked and eye open as he heard his front door open. Groaning he reached under the bed grabbing a baseball bat and rolled out of bed. He padded out of the bedroom and paused at the familier clack of heels. Setting down bat he straightened and made his way out of the room. “Lena? What are you doing here?” 

“We need to talk.” She replied.

James felt a cold shiver wake him up. “What’s wrong?” He frowned as he saw her standing in his kitchen. 

Lena was setting up his coffee pot while wearing one of her more conservative black dresses that she used as battle armor. Everything about her was perfectly put together, abnormally so for being in his apartment. There was a certain something off about her posture, her make up heavier than usual. Her eyes flicked over to him as she turned, turning the coffee machine on. “You didn’t brief me on the situation at Catco.” 

“Julie should have sent you the minutes from the board meeting and a copy of the media plan. I haven’t had time to have a conference call with you.” He approached carefully reaching out to hold her. 

She hesitated before allowing him to pull her against him. “That can’t happen James, you won’t remain COO if you fail to notify me of anything during a media storm like this again.” 

“Running Catco takes up all of my attention, and I’m still not completely used to not being CEO.” He tightened his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her hairline. 

Lena pulled back, her eyes tightening. “That’s not acceptable James. It’s been almost a year, that excuse is just that now, it's an excuse. I am your boss and if you fail to treat me as such I will fire you.” 

“Lena you need me. You don’t have the experience to run a media company without me.” He rested a hand on her shoulder hoping she’d see sense. “Between running Catco and Guardian sometimes things fall through the cracks. I’m sorry but that’s the truth.” 

She took another step back, shrugging off his touch, her back pressing into the counter as she crossed her arms. “Don’t start. Kara is doing more than her usual work load, managing extra Supergirl duties and managed to keep me in the loop on what was going on at Catco.” 

“You know!?” His eyes widened in shock. 

Lena raised a brow. “Of course I know, I’m not an idiot.” She bit out with a certain level of venom. “But the point stands James. If one of my reporters is handling the workload better than the COO there is a problem.”

“If you know than you know that’s not a fair assessment. She’s capable of doing more than I am just because of what she is.” He scoffed, kryptonians didn’t even need to sleep as often as humans. 

Lena didn’t budge. “Briefing me is a part of your job, it isn’t a part of hers. Not to mention if you’re too busy to handle Guardian duties you need to take a break from them. Your job is more important, especially right now.” 

“You think you know what’s more important? Guardian saves lives!” He narrowed his eyes. 

She stiffened slightly. “Saves lives? Stopping these riots and backlash will save lives. Ensuring monsters like Lane and Lord stay behind bars will save lives. Guardian can’t stop mobs. Stopping car jackings and muggings should not be the priority right now.” 

“I do more than just stop petty crime!” He snapped.

Her nostrils flared. “You’ve only done more when helping Supergirl and she’s not asking for your help right now. I am asking you to your job or are you unable to do the bare minimum of your position!?” 

“Are you actually threatening to fire me?” He gaped at her in disbelief. “You’re seriously threatening that. I can’t believe you. You come into my apartment to accuse me of not doing my job because I forgot to email or call you for one day?” 

Lena pushed off from the counter. “I’m your boss James. There are hundreds of qualified individuals who could take your job. You are not indispensable and if you think that because we are together that will shelter you from having to do your job you are wrong. I own Catco, it is my company. If you act as if I am not your boss while at work again I will replace you.” 

“You asked me to be the angel on your shoulder, a voice of reason. Do you think you don’t need someone to do that still? Or do you think your conscious is replaceable as well?” He knew as soon as he said it he’d made a mistake. 

Lena’s face turned to stone. “When you show up at work tomorrow consider yourself on probation for your job. And us, we’re through.” 

“Lena-” He reached out to touch her, if he could just remind her how good they were.

She slapped his hand away. “No. You are right about one thing though. I need people around me to help me make the correct decisions, you’re just not the only one. I have friends besides you James.” She turned on her heel, grabbing her purse off the counter.

James followed. “Lena! You can’t be serious? You’re going to break up with me over work?” 

“If you think this was about work you’re greatly mistaken.” She threw him a last look over her shoulder before stepping out of the apartment, the door slamming behind her. 

He stared at the door. That wasn’t… He pinched the bridge of his nose. Right, he needed to call Kara and find out what on earth was going on. Then he was going to have to call his sister, she was never going to let him live down the fact he was going to have to get her to explain to him what exactly had just happened.

 

 

An hour later he sat on the couch, head cradled in his hands. “I wasn’t that bad.” 

-”James I love you, but you essentially told your girlfriend to be good and leave running Catco to you because you’re better qualified and then that without you she was incapable of making good judgment calls.”- Kelly’s voice was patronizing and annoyingly accurate. He didn’t get a chance to reply before she continued. -”She’s far more qualified on the business side of things than you James, and she was right. Letting Guardian interfere with your job is irresponsible. And she’s an adult woman James, she may need advice as much as any of us but she doesn’t need someone else to serve as her conscious.”-

“But she asked me to!” He protested. 

Kelly sighed. -”James just because she is insecure from what I can tell and needs a therapist desperately does not make her incompetent. And if that wasn’t true it would have been a massive sign to get out because she’d have been a psychopath if she was actually incapable of understanding right from wrong in her actions.”-

“But-”

-”No buts James, you condescended to your girlfriend, questioned her competency and just to cover up for your own failings at work. Whether breaking up with you or not was justified I don’t know. You need to talk to her and actually listen. I still have my doubts about you dating her though, I mean it's constantly up and down. And after what her brother did to you..-”-

James groaned, this conversation again. ”Kelly….”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tea, lots and lots of tea

Linda heard a familiar heartbeat racing. She perked up and then frowned as she tried to place why she knew this heart. It wasn’t Alex, or Vasquez...she didn’t know many humans yet. She glanced over at Krypto and then back towards where the sound was coming from, it was nearby. Nodding she stood up and picked up the leash. “Come on Krypto, we’re going for a walk.” 

He came sliding across the wood floor, till he came to a stop in front of her. Krypto woofed excitedly, his tail thumping against the floor. 

She laughed before clicking his leash on and walking out of her apartment. With careful movements she shut and locked the door. It had been a two days since she’d last broken a doorknob and she intended to keep the streak going. As it latched into place she grinned. “See, told you I could do it Krypto!” 

He woofed clearly happy for her small victory even if he didn’t understand what it was. 

LInda just beamed and headed for the elevator. 

 

 

 

It took her ten minutes, several wrong turns and a lot of stops to allow children to pet Krypto, despite his vest, and she found where the irregular heartbeat was coming from. She carefully walked into what seemed to be a rather run down bar...which the only bar she’d been too was the alien one so she wasn’t sure what exactly that meant for the future 

Linda looked around the place and was glad for her superior eyesight as she spotted the source of the heartbeat that felt so painfully important. “Lena…” She had only met the woman once, but considering Kara’s constant remarks about her it made sense a part of her knew this woman’s heart by sound. Even not knowing the woman really she knew something was wrong. Lena’s shoulders were slumped, no make up on her face, hair falling down partially obscuring her face and three empty glasses on the table, another full of an amber liquid in front of her as she was slumped in a corner booth in the back.

She straightened, sucking in a breath to reassure herself and walked forward. LInda stopped in front of the booth. “Lena?” 

“What?” The woman snapped before looking up and freezing, eyes widening in recognition. “Oh, it’s you.” 

Linda plastered on the best smile she could. “I know you don’t know me well, but can we join you?” 

“We?” Her eyes flicked to Krypto and she visibly softened slightly. “Why not.” 

Linda sighed in relief and dropped down next to Lena in the small booth. She ignored the surprised sound Lena let out at her sitting besides her instead of across from her. While she was still new to all this she was fairly sure Lena would need a hug soon. “This is a bar yes?” 

“You came in not knowing what it was?” Lena arched a brow, pushing her hair back over one shoulder. 

Krypto trotted under the table and sat down, sticking his head between them on the bench with a sigh. Linda absently reached down running her fingers through his silky fur. He was the one creature it came easy being gentle with. “I heard your heartbeat and knew something wasn’t right. So I came to find you. It's surprisingly difficult to find a location even when you can hear where to go. Sounds don’t exactly give street directions.” 

Lena let out a soft sound of amusement. “That was sweet of you. But why come? I haven’t exactly been welcoming towards you.” 

“I didn’t know it was you, just that someone important was upset.” Linda looked at her curiously hoping for a sign if she was messing up or not. “I mean...if you’re important enough to Kara that I know you’re heartbeat you gotta be pretty great.”

Lena swallowed. “Why don’t you blame me for...everything?” 

“You mean my existence?” Linda cocked her head to the side. “I mean...I didn’t choose to exist but from what I understand no one does. Not really. But I’m not sad that I exist. Are you sad that you exist?” 

Lena seemed to pause before her head tilted down. “Sometimes.” 

“I think that’s very sad.” She rubbed behind Krypto’s ear. “Is that why you’re heart rate has been accelerating and then lowering randomly?”

Lena straightened slightly raising her arm. “Bring two more!” She leaned against the table. “I am not drunk enough for this conversation.” 

“Isn’t intoxication when alone a bad thing?” Her brow crinkled as she tried to figure out what the correct response to this was. 

Lena raised a single brow. “You’re…” 

“You could pet Krypo? It makes things better.” Linda offered hopefully as a clearly irritated bartender dropped two glasses of the amber liquid on the table before leaving with a grunt. She winced at the sound. “Uh...he’s cheerful?”

Lena gave a slight snort, but she still reached down and patted Krypto’s head, even smiled the tiniest bit when he licked her hand. She sighed. “I broke up with James, and I think I have to fire him if he doesn’t change his work ethic soon.” 

“Oh...that’s rough?” Linda winced even as the words left her mouth. Was that what one was supposed to say in the face of a break up? 

Lena picked up one of the glasses of amber liquid. “I suppose its fitting, I can’t help but fuck up the best relationship I’ve ever had.” 

“I thought Kara was your best friend? Isn’t your closest relationship your best relationship?” Linda’s frown deepened. “And why is it your fault?” 

Lena knocked back the entire drink before setting it back down on the table with a clink. “Your closest relationship isn’t always who you’re dating.” She shook head. “When isn't it my fault? I knew mixing a relationship with work was a terrible idea. But I did it anyways and what if he’s right? What if I do need him?” 

“I…” Linda grabbed the second glass before Lena could reach for it and downed it. Gagging she felt like trail was being burned down her throat. She stuck her tongue out as she spluttered. “Wha! Why is it! OW!” 

Lena laughed as she patted her on the back. “Easy there, it has a bit of a burn.” 

“A bit!?” Linda’s eyes were watering as she looked at Lena in outrage. “That was…..it was worse than Kale!”

Lena snorted outright. “Well it seems a hatred of kale is genetic.” 

“Why do you drink this? You can’t like it?” Linda was appalled. This was...it was a crime against...something. Good taste maybe?

Lena just looked amused. “It’s an acquired taste.” 

“It's terrible.” Linda took in Lena and was reminded of just how..off the woman seemed and movies did say talking helped? “Do you want...do you want to tell me what happened with James?”

Lena’s face turned sad once more. “Well you are as close to an uninvolved individual as I know.” 

“And uninvolved is good?” Linda checked. 

Lena nodded. “In this case it is.” She seemed to steady herself and then began to speak. “It started after I purchased Catco-”

 

 

 

“Maybe I am expecting too much, when things are good between us I know I’m safe.” Lena huffed. “And he looks at me with genuine kindness. Surely just throwing away what we have, over an off week is just...it's not right.” 

Linda cleared her throat. “Um...that is when do you feel safest?”

“With Kara.” Lena didn’t even blink as she replied. “She’s my best friend. But James never was with me just to be with a Luthor, he wanted an actual relationship.” 

Linda poked at the stack of appetizer plates they’d gone through. “I...I don’t know much about this but...I think James sounds like a meanie and you should be with someone who makes you happy.” She gave a sharp nod. 

Lena leaned against her side, she felt nearly boneless. “Thank you.” 

“I mean we’re friends right?” Linda cautiously reached out wrapping her arm around Lena, hugging her against her. “And everyone needs friends.” 

Lena just let out a soft sound, she seemed to have used up all of her energy talking about James and was fairly out of it. “I just...is it too much to want to be loved?” 

“No, no its not.” Linda held on tighter. “I like you, and I know Ruby and Sam love you. And Kara loves you. I’m not sure about Alex but she probably does.”

Lena sniffled. “It’s different.” 

“I don’t think it is, but I don’t know much yet.” Linda wished she trusted herself to hug Lena tighter than the loose hold she had now. But the chances of hurting her were too high. So she pressed a kiss to Lena’s hairline. “We should find Kara, she knows how to make things better.” 

Lena shook her head. “I can’t...not...not now.”

“Ok….but uh...maybe we should go get food? Eating makes me happy so maybe it will make you happier?” Linda waffled, frustration at her inability to help. But then Krypto helped by just being there even if he didn’t understand. So maybe it was enough.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know it probably seems random, but considering its pride I figured we could all use something cheerful. So when I was twenty two I was coughing up blood, addicted to morphine(thanks for having that prescription become an addiction and still not taking me off of it for years), had uncontrollable migraines every two-three days, a broken nose, a broken toe, pneumonia, was failing my classes, nerve damage in one knee, and probably some other terrible things I can't remember. Oh I was also having seizures, heart palpitations, and was at extreme risk for stroke. I had to call my parents who I hadn't spoken to in years after a massive fight over de-gayification therapy and ask for help. It sucked, I had to come back home to my families conservative farm town, the doctors, my family and I all were fairly sure I wasn't going to make it too long considering how sick I was. (this gets happy I swear) But I'm a stubborn bitch and I stuck around. Then a couple years ago a new migraine treatment was approved, and yes it involves a six inch needle being inserted into my brain through my nose while I'm conscious...its uh...freaky as fuck. But so worth it. 
> 
> So now I'm twenty seven, I haven't touched morphine in five years, I'm working a fulltime job with benefits, going to France with my girlfriend of two years next week, getting a house with my girlfriend in September, and we're getting a puppy in August. I haven't had a migraine in years, I have a solid friend group, have almost paid off my student debt, my parents and I have come so far that my mom defended a translady she didn't even know a few months ago, I'm healthier than I've been since I was nine years old, and for the first time in my life I have a solid and happy future to look forward to. So I just want to say that 'Things Get Better' sounds like fucking bullshit when things are at their worst. But they do get better and sometimes it takes years and years, but I swear to god that it does. Cause when I was twenty two I thought I was going to die, miserable, in pain, lonely, and isolated from my friends. But even if it was out of sheer spite I persevered and I'm in love with my life now. So fuck if sometimes things do actually get better even when it doesn't feel like they will.

Nia Nal stumbled as she stared up in awe at the entrance to Catco Worldwide Media. It was an empire that she had always admired. Her hero Kara Danvers worked here, her hero she was meeting for the first time today! Her stomach was full of butterflies. Staring at the clean modern entrance she walked in. And nearly collided with a security officer. “I’m so sorry.” She gripped the two coffees in her hands, god she could not drop them! Not after all the trouble it had been to get them.

“Move along.” His face was drawn, voice a deep throaty candace. 

The blonde woman by his side laughed. “Ms Nal isn’t a threat George.” She stepped around the man and smiled at her. “Come on, I do believe you’re going to the Tribune floor.” 

“I yeah...how did you know?” Nia felt her mind blanking as she stared at the woman, something was practically blaring in her head that she should recognize her. 

The woman gestured for her to follow her. “You’re going to be shadowing me starting today.” 

“Ms Danvers!” She squeaked in realization of why her face seemed so familiar. “I have your coffee! Just the temperature you like and your exact order.”

“Thank you.” Ms Danvers reached out easily accepting her coffee and taking a sip. “You don’t have to get me coffee you know, but this is perfect.” 

Nia could feel her face turning a bright red. “It’s such an honor to meet you! I mean you’re the best reporter and getting to learn from you is just such an opportunity. I will be the best job shadower ever. You won’t even notice I’m there, unless you want me to be noticeable? Because I can do that too if you want. Your article on the illegal alien fight clubs was groundbreaking and how you’ve balanced your critiques of corporate technology with the real world consequences is just...its so good. And then your articles this last month have been……”

“You really are me.” Kara gave her a baffled but fond smile. “Come on I have a video interview with CNN in twenty minutes.” 

She blinked. “Oh of course, um is being you a good thing? Cause if its bad I can stop. Or if its good I can keep doing it? What exactly makes me like you? So I know what to stop or keep doing?” 

“You can just be yourself, you don’t have to change who you are.” Kara gave her a smile as she hit the button for the elevator. “Normally I’d be helping you with sources and pointing you in the right direction while you worked on several puff pieces and gained some experience. Unfortunately with the current state of affairs means that I’m request to have your training period be handled slightly differently.” 

“I promise not to get in your way or anything.” Nia piped in hoping that she was still going to get to work with Ms Danvers.

Kara waved it off. “How do you feel about jumping into the deep end? I can’t follow up on all the leads I have right now. If you don’t mind sharing a byline most of the time I’ll kick what leads I can to you that I don’t have time for.” 

“You want me to...you’re going to give me leads?” Nia choked out. She knew that was...not just a massive show of faith. Reporters didn’t share sources which is what this would end up being almost inevitably. 

Kara just sipped her coffee like she wasn’t violating all sorts of obvious rules in journalism. “I know you will care about the stories I’ll point you towards, that’s more than I can say of most people.” 

“How…?” Nia swallowed staring at the other woman in awe and confusion as they rode the elevator up. 

Kara reached over and hit the emergency stop before turning and facing her fully. “Because its personal for you. You have a vested interest in people seeing hope that aliens and humans can coexist right now.” 

“I...I don’t know what you’re talking about? I mean I’m...I support alien rights but um…” Nia stepped back, there was no way Kara could know right?

Kara’s face softened. “Don’t worry, your heritage is your secret to tell to whoever you want. I promise you have nothing to fear from me.” She tilted her head slightly. “It would be rather hypocritical of me.” She pressed the stop button again, and turned back towards facing the doors as if she hadn’t just dropped the fact that not only did she know Nia was half alien, but that she herself was an alien. 

Nia didn’t know if there words for a situation like this and just stared at Kara hoping the world would make sense soon. It didn’t. The elevator dinged and then they were off into the bullpen, shouting and bustling going on and easily swallowing them up. 

Kara lead them to where a balding man was shouting a rather impressive litany of insults at cowering man. Instead of being cowed, Kara just smiled at the angry man and waved. “Snapper, I’m taking the newbie to see the interview with CNN and then sending her out to follow up on a lead this afternoon.” She flicked her eyes to the cowering man and made a showing motion. 

The man now identified as Snapper turned on Kara. “Ponytail! The camera’s are set up in your office, don’t dribble coffee down yourself while you’re on film. Now get before you’re late.” 

“I can’t cover it but Superman is going to be helping with the flooding in Mississippi since the riots have calmed down.” Kara just grinned at the spluttering editor in chief, spun on her heel and herded Nia towards a small office down the hall from the bullpen. 

Nia was wide eyed as she took in the people setting up cameras aimed at the simple desk. There weren’t even any windows! It really was just a small office, almost a small closet really and this was Ms Danvers? 

“James, what are you doing here?” Kara asked, her brow crinkling as she spotted the COO of the company. Which...she was on a first name basis with the COO? 

“Kara, this is a bad idea.” He touched Kara’s elbow pulling her slighting out of the way. How he was ignoring the incredulous looks the entire office was giving him, or the total lack of privacy Nia hadn’t the faintest clue. 

Kara didn’t brush off his hand but she looked fairly exasperated. “James the moment to keep the status quo is past. Catco needs to stay ahead of this and this is part of how we’re going to do it.” 

James lowered his voice, though it was still easily audible. “Kara that’s not the point and you know it. You never were supposed...wanted to be in front of the camera. Its bringing too much attention to you.” 

“I’m aware of the consequences of the media exposure and I’ve accepted them.” She replied holding his gaze unflinchingly. 

He ran a hand across his head. “I promised Clark I’d be there for you.” 

“I appreciate that James but you were overruled. I’m doing this, and will continue to do so.” Kara’s tone was firm and unyielding. 

He didn’t seem to get that he was pushing at something she wouldn’t budge on. Even Nia understood that so she wasn’t sure how he didn’t get it, but he didn’t as he continued. “Lena can’t make you do this if you say no.” 

“Lena isn’t forcing me to do anything and the fact you think she would says a great deal about what you think of her. You need to accept you were wrong and start doing your job James, you’re on probation already. Now get out of my office.” Kara finally brushed his hand off her elbow. 

The entire room was deadly silent before James’s shoulders slumped. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

“Now James.” Kara didn’t falter, she just kept steady and calm.

Nia breathed in not realizing she’d been holding her breath as James finally left the office. 

Kara looked around the room. “Are we ready?” 

“One minute Ms Danvers.” The man by the camera replied automatically. 

Kara gave a short nod and rounded her desk. “I’m ready.” 

There was some last minute bustle, Nia curled into one of the corners, fingers wrapped around her coffee. She was completely discombobulated, her mind spinning, mouth dry, heart fluttering and she’d never been so excited in her life. An ear piece was handed to her while One was attached to Kara and a make up assistant quickly brushed some sort of powder across Kara’s face. 

The camera man held up three fingers, then two and then one. The screen in front of the camera turned on showing the CNN newsroom. A male voice came through the ear piece then. -“And joining us now the woman who broke the story of the century, Kara Danvers. Thank you for joining us Ms Danvers.”- 

“Thank you for having me.” Kara smiled at the camera, but there was something bland and unreal to it now that Nia knew what an actual Kara Danvers smile looked like. 

Mike Forrest, CNN anchor and investigative journalist replied easily. -”What is your opinion of the fallout from the articles you’ve written in the last week?”-

“I’m a reporter, my job is to bring to light what the citizens of this country need to know so that they can make their own decisions.” Kara spoke clearly, her passion clearly shining through. “It doesn’t matter what my opinion is, what matters is that the people are informed and able to make their own choices while understanding the situation.” 

-”That’s not an answer.”- Forrest probed. -”You’ve been accused of being a radical alien rights supporter even an alien yourself.”- He laughed at the ridiculous charge, but it was open ended. Well ridiculous if it wasn’t true.

Kara was silent for a long second. “My views, my species are all irrelevant to the current discussion. My motivation for researching, finding and choosing not to bury this story have nothing to do with the facts. Everything I have written has been substantiated in the last few days, in fact far more has come to light than even I knew was out there to find since that first story hit. Tell me, what would it change if I was an alien Mr Forrest?” 

-”Well everything.”- The man waffled seemingly caught off guard. -”It would be a piece written in self interest.”-

“But would that make any of the facts less valid? And if I am human does that make the facts any more valid? I’m a reporter not an opinion columnist or blogger. I only write the facts and I leave it to the readers to interpret that.” Kara refuted easily.

-”Your articles have had a noticeable pro-alien bent to them however”-

“Catco and the Tribune stand for facts. But we are also an institution that believes in the ideals that our country holds. Yes that means we have a progressive point of view on a great many topics due to our belief in the equality of all beings both human and alien alike. The fact that our position of agreeing to the objective fact in the equality of humans of all races, religions, sexualities, genders, nationalities, and any other category makes Catco progressive is regrettable. Truth doesn’t have a color, race or sexuality or even a species. Yes truth may be seen from a different lens and understanding but truth is objective and undeniable. Max Lord undeniably experimented on unconsenting humans leading to the deaths of multiple individuals in a horrifically painful manner. Those are facts. Whether those actions were justifiable or not is opinion, a matter of perspective. Those facts do not change depending on any detail about my personal beliefs or species. Even if I was Supergirl herself it wouldn’t change any of the meaning or validity to what I’ve written.” Kara was unflinching, strong and unmovable in her beliefs and it was breathtaking. It was the single most incredible thing Nia had ever witnessed in person. 

Mr. Forrest spoke up. -”A noble sentiment but you must realize the ethical questions that could bring doubt to your assertions in those articles.” 

“Your own organization has confirmed every single fact in my articles. Every news outlet has. The government has as some of the evidence I used in my articles will be being used in capital trials, court martial hearings and a hundred other cases. At this point to question the truth of what I have written is to question the objective truth hundreds of people have already verified. In scientific terms I presented my theory based on facts and it has been upheld by the jury of my peers. I have no single source that if proven false breaks the facts I brought to light. I welcome scrutiny, if you believe my articles are biased then prove it. Until then it is pointless rumor mongering for increased ratings that will only harm the discourse we as a country need to be having.” Kara’s voice was clear and left Mr Forrest struck dumb for a long second on the other end. 

He finally managed to clear his throat. -”Are you implying the media holds a part in what others have done?”-

“Yes.” Kara nodded. “We as an institution have become so concerned with ratings, opinion, and sales that we have forgotten our purpose, to show the truth and hold a mirror to our nation and ask the difficult questions. Journalism shouldn’t be a popularity contest for viewership. I am not without blame, none of us in this industry are. But we need to be better, as recent events show us we have failed to do our jobs.” 

Nia knew as she stood there that nothing would stop her in trying to do her very best working for Ms Danvers. Someday if she could hold even a tiny bit of the authority that Ms Danvers carried so magnificently, she’d be happy. Ms Danvers was a goal, an aspiration, an inspiration.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last update for a while I'm going on vacation and intend to be spending my days in museums and walking along the streets of Paris with my girlfriend.

Kara dropped into the DEO, stack of pizzas the height of a grown man in her arms. “I bring sustenance.” 

There were grumbles and slight glares as agents rushed grab them from her. Vasquez grabbed two vegetarian boxes and let out a groan as she bit into a slice. “I’m still mad we didn’t get a heads up about the workload you dropped on us, but god I love you right now.” 

“You’re welcome and I totally gave you a heads up..sorta.” She shrugged, the agents would stop being grumpy once Alex finished getting the newest class of new recruits up and taking on some of the massive overtime everyone was putting in lately. Still, dropping off food every now and then was a good way to keep morale up. 

Vasquez gave her an exhausted glare. “A tip so we could raid some people is not a warning that our entire organization was going to be outed.” 

“It was past time the people knew that their government was actually capable of protecting them.” Kara would keep shouting that truth as long as she had to get it through peoples heads. Still, these were her coworkers and she had no intention of arguing with them over pizza, that would be sacrilege to the pizza.

Agent Grey skidded to a halt in front of her. “Supergirl ma’am! The director wants you in the command room.” A nervous pitch to his voice caused the other agents to look at him in sympathy, clearly a new recruit being used as a messenger then. 

Kara just smiled at the man. “Don’t worry.” She strode through the familiar halls towards the command center. An amused snort escaped her as she found Alex glaring at one of the recruits with blue skin and a tail who was holding the shattered remains of what had once been a coffee pot. 

Alex was fuming. “You can’t even carry the coffee properly recruit! Janitorial duty for a month when you’re not in training! Now get out of my sight and would someone clean up this mess!” 

“Director.” Kara shoved the last pizza into Alex’s hands. It was her favorite and would probably save the poor recruit. She winked at the poor recruit as he rushed to get out of the line of Alex’s irritation. 

“Supergirl!” Alex poked her in the chest. “Alien showed up at the anti-alien protest at the police station. Go make sure someone doesn’t get killed.” 

She just nodded and patted Alex on the shoulder. “I got it.” Kara bent her knees slightly before launching herself into the air and towards the protest. 

Closing her eyes Kara revealed in the simple freedom of flying. When everything around her was in chaos at least flight was left to her as simple and uncomplicated. It was the single power that she felt no reservations over, only joy. Too soon the freedom and weightless had to come to an end as she came to a halt, floating over the anti-alien protest blocking the street in front of the justice hall. The hate and vitriol washed over her, well practiced coldness filling her veins lest she act wrongly. 

Standing on the steps of the justice hall was an alien, he was easily recognizable as a Branx. He was large, four arms, low protruding jaw with clearly visible inch long fangs. His motley purplish skin was dark as his specially tailored suit stretched over his taut muscles. According to his nametag his name was X’al and he was the manager of a construction firm. He was trying to defend and argue against the hate being yelled at him from the crowds. 

She landed catching his arm before he could try and punch a man who’d just spouted something particularly vile about X’ul’s family. The ground silenced with her arrival. “It’s not worth it.” Kara stared into his face, he had a good foot on her in height his eyes burning with hurt and anger. “It won’t help.” 

“They!” He seemed incapable of words. 

Kara stepped forward and hugged him. “I know.” She could feel his muscles loosening against her. Stepping back snapped a hand up catching a glass bottle that had been thrown towards them. She sighed. “Go, I’m sure you’re here for something important. Don’t let them harm what you’ve built for yourself on this planet.” 

X’ul seemed to sway before nodding. “Thank you.” 

“You should be proud of yourself.” She gave a pointed up and down of his professional attire.

One of his hands reached up rubbing at the back of his head. “I just…”

“You get scared and it makes you angry.” Kara felt a bone deep understanding. It likely didn’t help his species was bred for war and lacked in classical understandings of intelligence. They had been the muscle of various conquering races armies for thousands of years. “Go, engaging with them will only harm yourself.” 

He seemed to shudder before turning and leaving for the entryway. 

Kara turned, her face impassive as she looked at the jeering crowd. Setting the bottle in her hand down she wished there was more she could do. But she was a symbol and there was nothing she could do without tarnishing what she had to stand for. 

A snarling man stepped into her space shouting at her. The words washed over her as she stared at him. Kara blinked and then realized there was something she could do. This mob would find someone to attack, and she was a symbol. Let them tire themselves out on an opponent that could take it. It was risky, could easily turn against her, but she could leave if need be. Breathing in she remained standing there. 

Kara wasn’t sure how long she stood there, two individuals had broken their hands on her, she’d been hit with several bottles of various beverages. Soda, coffee, and various beverages soaked her suit but they’d backed off after the second shattered hand. She wondered if this helped. It might be the wrong choice, but it had focused the mob’s attention. They weren’t trying to push through into the justice building. No, she was surrounded on all sides.

There was a sort of lull after hours of her simply standing there. A single man had fought his way to the front, his voice loud and demanding. “What gives you the right!?” 

She blinked and cocked her head slightly. “The right to what? Exist?” 

“To be on this planet! To take what’s ours! You’re not a god!” He snarled. 

The crowd silenced waiting for her answer now that she was engaging them ever so slightly. “I’m not a god, I’m just me.” She wanted to ask him what he thought she’d taken from him, but already knew the answer, nothing. “I did not choose this planet, but I am here.” 

“So leave!” The man gestured wildly. “We don’t need you!” 

Kara looked around at the crowd’s faces before turning her focus back to this single man. “You don’t need me. Humanity is capable of far more than you seem to realize. But I live on this planet and whether you need my help or not I will offer it.” 

“We don’t want your help cockroach!” He sneered. 

She stared at him and finally nodded. “I will still offer it so long as I draw breath because that is who I am. Is this who you want to be?” Her knees bent and then she was rocketing through the air. She could feel the hate burning against her, suffocating her. To stay would do no good, if her having stayed as long as she had, had done anything in the first place. 

Kara wished for a moment she could be surprised she found herself on the balcony of Lena’s office but she was too weary to lie to herself. She had been drawn to her best friend just as she always was. It was too late to leave, she needed...she needed something. Raising her hand she rapped lightly on the glass. 

Lena spun in her chair, her eyes widening at the sight of her before she was on her feet rushing to the door and opening it. “Kara! Are you alright?” 

Kara glanced down at her suit, she winced. “I probably should come in…” 

“Nonsense, just float. There’s a shower just down the hall for lab accidents. Go clean yourself up and get changed, I’m sure R&D can clean up your suit.” Lena looked amused at the idea of what her poor R&D team would do when faced with a Supersuit. “Come on, you can’t go anywhere looking like that. Did a soad truck explode or something?” 

Her lips twitched into an approximation of amusement at the disgusted look on Lena’s face. It made...it made things feel better. “Protest.” 

“Ah.” Lena’s face fell more serious. “Come, go take a shower.” 

Kara just nodded, just being in Lena’s presence felt like it was lifting the smothering weight of the hatred that so filled this planet. Her shoulders slumped slightly and then she floated across the office towards Lena’s private lab and shower. 

She dropped her filthy, sticky suit onto the tile flooring and turned the water on as hot it would go before stepping under the scalding water. Closing her eyes she let it wash away the coldness that had suffused her entire being since she’d arrived. It washed away the hate and pain that had stuck to her, leaching the warmth from her very sinew. She ached, her heart beating with a pain she couldn’t put into words. Her face felt hot and she wondered when she’d started crying? 

Her shoulders caved in and hot wet choking sobs escaped her. The water drowning out her pain as she mourned when she’d been able to believe in simple goodness uncomplicated kindness. It had been naive. But Rao she ached with the loss of it. Her thoughts turned to nothing but crashing waves of emotion, her fingers curling into the wall as she lost control. 

 

 

 

Kara cautiously padded into Lena’s office, the L-corp branded sweats at least two sizes too big and seemingly swallowing her inside of them. She felt...clean. Flicking her eyes up she sought after Lena who looked up from where she was writing on a clear board to the side of the room. 

“Kara.” Lena seemed softer than she’d been in Kara’s presence since she’d told her her identity. Lena set down her pen before picking up two coffee mugs and walking over. She held out one, standing besides the couch. “Hot coco?” 

“That sounds nice.” Kara cautiously approached, her hands soaking up the heat as she accepted the mug of chocolate. “I’m sorry for just coming here.” 

Lena looked at her curiously. “Don’t be, I’m glad you came.” 

Kara’s heart swelled in her chest as she carefully sat down on the couch, pulling up her legs, bare feet folding under her on the soft fabric of the couch. “Why? I’ve broken so much between us.” 

“You’re still my best friend.” Lena let out a long sigh as she sat down at the opposite side of the couch. “I can forgive you but you can never lie to me again Kara.” Her voice hardened slightly as she looked at her. “I can’t take it if you betray my trust again.” 

Kara could feel the vulnerability in Lena, could see it in the cracks in her professional mask, but she ached so much from the loss of her friend she just sniffled as tears threatened to fall once more. “I swear by the light of Rao I will never lie or hide anything from you.” 

“Alright.” Lena sucked in a long breath before exhaling and giving a sharp nod. “I won’t lie to you either, its not one sided you know.” 

“Thank you.” Kara’s voice soft as she fought to stay in control, to not lose herself to her emotions again.

Lena reached out taking her end, entwining their fingers together. “I missed you too.” 

Kara could help it, she sobbed.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Vacation was amazing! And If you want I'm happy to blather on about it for a very long time. But most important bit I proposed to my girlfriend and she said yes! So I'm kinda on cloud nine right now.

Snapper Carr stared at the cover of the day’s Tribune and felt something he hadn’t known he was still capable of. He was giddy. Giddy! He wasn’t some idealistic twit who thought good prevaled and goodness abounded. But he as he stared at the image of Supergirl, standing strong in the face of hatred asking that single question. “Is this who you want to be?” The quote was blazed across the cover next to the image. Supergirl standing in the light, indomitable and serene a helping hand freely offered surrounded by hatred, faces twisted in hatred and loathing. It was practically a renaissance painting. 

Supergirl may claim not to be a god but she’d never looked so divine. He was going to have it framed and put on his wall. His editorial that he’d written to go with the images and accompanying article was the single most optimistic thing he’d ever written. He hadn’t understood why Cat Grant had been so sure of Supergirl. It had seemed like cheap publicity that would only last so long.

He understood now. It wasn’t that she was some girl scout who didn’t understand the ugliness of the world. It was that she saw the ugliness and in response challenged the world to be better. It was frankly inspiring as irritating as that could be. So he’d written his editorial. He took a swig of his coffee, thick enough for a spoon to stand in, and examined the newest hire he had a project for. “So...Mackenzie is it?” 

“Yes sir!” The woman squeaked, her face pale. 

Snapper picked up her latest attempt at an article and held it between two fingers, touching as little of it as he could. “Tell me do you understand what branding is? Or are you as stupid as you are vindictive?” 

“I...I know what branding is.” Mackenzie’s hands were shaking at her sides. 

He sneered at the drivel in his hands. “Then why am I holding a puff piece on rumors about Lena Luthor’s love life?” 

“We are a fashion magazine.” She seemed to realize what she’d said a second after it came out of her mouth. “Not that that’s all we are...sir.” 

He took another drink of his coffee. “God save me for the talentless. You want to be a gossip columnist fine, at least do it well. Get out there and find out every piece of dirty laundry that new anti-alien speaker has. Ben Lockwood or whatever his name is. I want to know the size of shoe is grandfather wore. Can you handle that or are you going to be cleaning out your locker?” 

“I can do that!” Mackenzie took a step backwards. “I’ll get everything on him. Won’t let you down.” She scurried out of the office.

Snapper smirked, there was a place for gossips and it was ferreting out secrets so better writers could write the actual story. He drummed his fingers. Of the new batch he had three with any promise; Nal, Lewis, and VzzBzz. It was mildly depressing, but he couldn’t have all Kara Danvers who could have buckets of coal dropped on them and turn it into diamonds. She wasn’t Cat’s clearly selected successor for no reason. He groaned, time to do better himself if he wanted better apparently.

Tipping his head back he yelled out. “NAL! LEWIS! BUG BOY! GET IN HERE!” Snapper wished you could yell out VzzBzz but it wasn’t yellable so here he was. 

The three newbies practically tripped over themselves to get into his office. He gave a critical eye over them. “Nal, what are you working on?” 

“Fiona Bryne’s alien activist and support group. I’m interviewing various members about their experiences here on earth.” Nia was stumbling over her words as she spoke. “Dr Rohan Vose is really inspirational about living without hiding his alien features and the work he’s doing in biochemistry is revolutionary!” 

“Right.” He held up a hand stopping the word vomit. “That will be a continuing series of articles then. I want a piece on alien fashion and its influences on human fashion on my desk by tomorrow. Go.” 

Nal’s eyes lit up before she practically flew out of the room. “Thank you, thank you thankyou.” Echoing in her wake. 

Snapper downed his coffee. Why did the promising ones have to be so fucking perky? It was going to give him a cavity. He turned his glower towards his next victim. “VzzBzz get out there and get me an artical on human/alien sex. Is it dangerous and what risks does it carry and what should people know. We don’t want our readers ending up married on accident. Forget the puff piece on alien pest control.” 

“I can do that.” VzzBzz’s...fuzz vibrated with his voice. “Should I include the mating habits of kryptonians?” 

He paused...the fact that Sunny Danvers, and yes he knew she flew around in a cape he wasn’t fucking blind, was so human he’d never stopped to consider she was different than any human. He snorted. “Yes, we’ll run it separately when we stop having sell out issues. Now get.” 

The man, all six appendages scurried out of the room leaving the new hire with the most common sense. “Lewis, what do you have for me?” 

“I have an interview with a Maggie Sawyer from the NCPD science division. She’s worked specifically with aliens in a law enforcement capacity for the last two years.” The tightly wound brit, with perfectly coiffed hair tipped her chin up daring him to take away the story. 

He finished off his coffee keeping eye contact. “Talk to Danvers, she’ll help you get additional sources.” 

“She’d…” Lewis gaped. “But um...aren’t her sources her sources?” 

Snapper pinched the bridge of her nose. “Danvers has too many stories and sources for any one person right now. Tell her the story and the angle and she’ll help you. They don’t call her Sunny Danvers for nothing. Now get.” 

“Yes sir.” She barely stopped herself from saluting before walking out at a quick clip. 

He spotted his intern. “Sniffles! Get me another coffee and make sure its actually hot this time!” 

The intern cringed before scurrying out of sight, shoulders hunched in. She wasn’t going to last out the week. She belonged in a different industry. 

Snapper grabbed yet another most likely subpar article to turn into something publishable. His eyebrow twitched...the title of the article was misspelled. He took back all of his positive feelings, he was going to find Jones and strangle the man with his bare hands before firing his ass.

////

Snapper took one look at Lena Luthor’s face and changed course for the office bar. He poured himself the strongest looking thing there and downed it. Hissing through his teeth, he turned on his heel and walked back to the center of the office and sat down. “What’s this meeting about Luthor?” 

Lena was pristine as always, but there was a certain tightness around her eyes. She stepped out from behind her desk before sitting down across from him. “Something needs to be done about James. The board will remove him at the end of his probation and firing him would be…” 

“Unwise because if he decides to retaliate you’re fucked cause you fucked him.” Snapper wondered again why he had to be dragged into drama. He wasn’t in highschool damn it. 

She flinched slightly. “Crude, but correct.” 

“So you need a way to keep him from rocking the boat when he inevitably loses his position as COO.” He drummed his fingers against his knee. 

Lena nodded. “James is a proud man, he won’t take his removal well and since his identity as Guardian came to light he has been...unpredictable.” 

“Why not just demote him? Bring on a new COO with more credentials and experience than him and anything he says wouldn’t hold water.” Snapper grumbled, god as long as no one tried to give him the job.

She raised a brow. “And who do I hire on such short notice?” 

“You need someone who can hold the position five to eight years till Cat’s heir is capable of taking on the position.” He shrugged. “Cat was very poetic about who should get the keys to her castle.” 

Lena paused. “And who exactly is being groomed to be the next CEO of my media empire?” 

“Kara Danvers.” Snapper ignored the expression on Lena’s face, he was not paid enough for this crap. 

She leaned back in her seat. “That makes a frightful amount of sense. Why James? From what I can tell he’s completely incompetent at the position?” 

“Because he had experience heading a department inside the company, has solid allegiance to the Supers and wasn’t going to kill the golden goose, and if he wanted to be, he could be good at it.” Snapper waved a hand. “She didn’t count on him having a midlife crisis at thirty.” 

Lena frowned. “Who could we head hunt for the position in a tight time frame who might actually take the job and I can trust not to ruin the company?” 

Snapper did not want to say the name he was about to say. The level of sheer drama it would cause was...not worth contemplating. However, it was the best option considering the disaster of everything. And his CEO’s poor dating choices were not going to ruin the most powerful media empire in the country. Thanks to Danvers no one could compete with Catco right now. “Lucy Lane.” 

“You want me to hire my ex-boyfriends ex-girlfriend with no journalistic experience to run my media company?” The sheer disbelief was palatable. 

Snapper just...he couldn’t handle this shit. “Ask Kara Danvers if you want to know if the woman’s qualified.” 

“Do you think I could give James his old position in the art department back? A demotion plays better than firing him completely and he’s at least qualified for heading that department.” Lena switched gears easily clearly reading he would rather eat poison than keep talking about the drama that was the COO position. 

He frowned. “Give it to him, if he quits it's his decision to leave and he can’t as easily claim its cause you stopped sleeping with him.” 

“Yes well hopefully it doesn’t come to that.” Lena flicked some of her hair over one shoulder. “Now, what is the strategy you’re working on for this week?” 

Snapper grinned, life coming back to him. He could talk work. “Next issue of the magazine to focuse on alien fashion, sex, and technology and how its impacting the modern milenial. Then a few thought pieces on the president. I want a photo shoot with the Jonas Brothers and an interview on what they see coming next for the band. A piece on-”


	19. Hiatus

Hey guys, I'm kinda having a bear of a time on the next chapter for this and kinda want to work on some of Mouse's and my projects for a while. So i'm gonna put this one on hiatus for a little while. Fear not, I intend to finish it. And I think I have a pretty good record of finishing up most of the projects I start. Also I am three chapters deep into the next installment of the Cadentibus Astris series and four deep into the next installment of Once and Future Alien. Both of those series have just gotten so long its ridiculously complicated to keep from dropping various plot threads as I go, so I'm trying to write the things out before I start posting. And I have a Supergirl Sense8 and Batuniverse aus in the files for later on this year. So don't worry, it'll probably only be for a month or two at the most I'm off updating Supergirl stories. 

Oh and I have not forgotten my Twilight story, just kinda have it on the back burner. I should really update that soon...the chapters are so short...

Anyways love you all and hopefully you'll still be here after a brief return to the 100 fandom.


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